First Three days are dedicated to Durga Maa; the Goddess of power and energy. On the first three days, the goddess is invoked as a powerful spiritual force called Durga in order to destroy all our impurities, vices and defects.
During the next three days people worship Lakshmi Maa, the Goddess of peace and prosperity. In these days, Mother is adored as a giver of spiritual wealth, Lakshmi, who is considered to have the power of bestowing on her devotees the inexhaustible wealth.
On Seventh and Eighth days, Saraswati Maa is worshiped to acquire the spiritual knowledge.
On Nineth day Kanya puja is performed, nine young girls representing the nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshiped. The final set of three days is spent in worshipping the daughter of Brahma as the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati.
In order to have all-round success in life, we need the blessings of all three aspects of the divine femininity, hence, the worship for nine nights.
Dussera or Vijayadashami, the tenth day is celebrated as the day of victory to rejoice about Durga's triumph over the demon Mahishasura.
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NAVRTATRI/DUSSERA at Cheenu's House...
In our house, on Mahalaya Amavasya Day, we lit a ghee lamp [see the picture :: the lamp is placed golden colour cage]. On this day the neivedhyam :: SAKKARAI pongal and GROUNDNUT sundal.
This Special Lamp will glow till the night of VIJAYADASAMI. Round the clock vigil is taken to protect the Jwalai [flame].
On all days during morning pooja, along with routine archanais, DURGA, LAKSHMI and SARASVATI ashtotram are performed with a SWEET [payasam or mysorepak or 7cups] and a SAVOURY [sundal or vadai, somedays both] as neivedhyam and in the evenings, LALITHA SHASRANAMA archanai,
With the blessings of Devi and all we hope next year the celebrations would be in our PADMA-SANKARAM.
This period is considered to be very important to all those who have lost their parents or one of them. The departed souls are said to look forward eagerly for the "Pithru Tharpanam". The daily tharpanam along with Ellu and Jhellum will invoke undescribed blessings for the partaker and his family during this period. Due to paucity of time, one may atleast perform the Tharpanum atleast one day like "Madhyashtami" or on "Mahalaya Amavasai" day.
Please consult your respective Acharyan lineage on this important period and if you wish, perform the Tharpanam.
It is said that one attains Mukthi if one is born in Thiruvarur, one dies in Kasi, one thinks of Thiruvannamalai, but if one steps on the soil of Thirurameshwaram one attains the same. It is famous for performing oblations to the departed manes during Amavasai, which releases one from the 'pithrudhosham'.
If one had not performed the ceremony (thithi) done to a deceased person, this Sthala is where the oblations are offered to absolve them from the Dhosham. Mahalaya Amavasai is considered sacred for performing such deeds. To rid of oneself, of the fear of Yama, Tharpana Pooja can be done in Thirurameshwaram.
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The pitru paksha shraddh is performed for all dead ancestors. the offerings are said to reach all the dead relatives of the person who performs the rites. oblations offered on the last day of the pitru paksha reach even those who died without having any children. even those who did not offer food to the poor in their life time and those who did not perform any acts of charity and were thus denied any comfort in the pitru lok (house of the dead), receive benefits from the shraddh performed during pitru paksha . also those whose date of death is not known and thus for whom the yearly shraddh cannot be performed, receive oblations offered during pitru paksh. further, those who died a violent death also benefit from oblations offered during this fortnight.
This recipe is prepared on Vinayaka Chathurthi and also on Varalakshmi Vratham days.
[who will refuse to devour the delicacy, if prepared on normal days too.....]
For Dough
2 cups rice flour 1 tbsp oil A pinch of salt
For Filling
1 coconut (grated) 1 cup jaggery (powdered) 1 tbsp ghee
Method:
Mix grated coconut, jaggery and ghee in a heavy pan. Cook on a medium flame, stirring continuously till thick. Allow to cool. Form small balls and set aside.
Heat 2 cups of water in a pan. Add salt, oil and flour, then stir continuously till dough leaves the sides of the pan. Allow to cool and knead well.
Take a small ball of dough and with greased palms pat into a disc. Put some filling in the middle and seal it. Make all Kozhakattais and steam till done.
Your yummy sweet kozhakkatais ready !!! ENJOY !!!
Hints: The same preparation can be made as savoury by keeping paruppu usili as poornam inside the cup of rice dough. And also Ellukozhakkati can be done with the fillings. [one cup each of seasame & jaggery and one table spoon ghee. Roast sesame seeds till pink. Grind to a fine powder along with jaggery. Add ghee and mix well.]
