Thiruvathira thoughts

Compared to other parts of India, Kerala Hindus have very few festivals. Thiruvathira is one of them. Celebrated in the month of December-January, the legend is that Goddess Parvathi fasted on this day for the well being of her husband Lord Shiva. Women in Kerala follow suit. The fasting starts 2 days prior to Thiruvathira.On Rohini the fasting is done for the well being of brothers and on Makayiram for children. Don’t get carried away by the word fasting.It simply means no rice preparation ! You can have anything vegetarian under the sun. Traditionally ,on Thiruvathira day women go for an elaborate bath in the family pond early in the morning singing songs depicting the romance of Shiva and Parvathi with a bit of soft porn thrown in between! A full moon in the sky, the fragrance of jasmine in the air…the scene is straight from an old black and white movie. After the bath a visit to a nearby Shiva temple is a must . Afterwards women gather in the family courtyard and perform the traditional Kaikottikali.These are all now things of the past only to be seen in the tourist guides .The only thing that remains now perhaps is the special dishes that are prepared as part of the celebrations. A vegetable curry made of many root vegetables,pulses and coconut and a sweet dish made of arrow root powder,coconut and jaggery are some of the highlights.Watching my mother gulping down rawa upma for breakfast ,porridge made of broken wheat for lunch and something similar for dinner for 3 consecutive days,I asked her if someone has ever fasted for the welfare of the women in the family . She stared at me and I stared back at her .

I am still waiting for an answer….