Karadaiyan Nombu, also known as "Savitri Nombu" is a major Hindu festival celebrated at the time of ending of the Tamil month of Maasi and beginning of Panguni. It usually falls in the middle of the English month March. Karadai is the dish specifically made on this day and offered to god along with butter.
As per the mythological stories, it is stated that Savitri prepared this special dish and offered it with unmelted butter to Lord Yama, the Hindu God of Death, as a thanksgiving gesture for returning the life of her husband, Satyavan.
Hence, Karadaiyan Nombu ritual is observed by all married women for the well being of their husband and that the couples should remain together always. Unmarried women also observe Karadaiyan Nombu and pray to Goddess Shakti to get good men as their husband.
This year the festival falls on Wednesday, March 14th 2018.
Different people observe this ritual in different ways. I have given below the procedure that we follow in our family. Please use it as a guidance and follow the customs as per your family traditions. Even if it is not possible for you to follow all the procedures in an elaborate manner, you can do the pooja in a simple way which will please the lord.
"Urukadha Vennaiyum oru adaiyum vaithu nombu nootren, oru naalum en kanavar piriyadhirukka vendum".
After tying the thread, we eat the nombu adai which is offered as neivedhyam for the god.
Listed below are the links for preparing home made rice flour and the recipe for sweet and salt adais.
For pooja kolams, check my kolam blog:
As per the mythological stories, it is stated that Savitri prepared this special dish and offered it with unmelted butter to Lord Yama, the Hindu God of Death, as a thanksgiving gesture for returning the life of her husband, Satyavan.
Hence, Karadaiyan Nombu ritual is observed by all married women for the well being of their husband and that the couples should remain together always. Unmarried women also observe Karadaiyan Nombu and pray to Goddess Shakti to get good men as their husband.
This year the festival falls on Wednesday, March 14th 2018.
Procedure to perform the nombu
My periamma used to observe fasting from the morning till the nombu time. If we cannot do fasting due to different reasons, we can at least avoid eating rice and follow a no onion no garlic menu.
On this day, ladies tie a yellow thread known as nombu saradu on their neck. For kids (older than 1 year), it is usually tied on the right hand or even on the neck. This thread has a small flower attached to it along with a small piece of turmeric. We usually place one thread in the pooja shelf on the picture of an amman before starting the pooja.
The exact nombu timing will be given in the Tamil calendar/panchangam. We can prepare the nombu adais and keep everything ready for the pooja before this nombu timing. We can then tie the thread during the exact timing and offer the neivedhyam. My mil always says that the thread has to be tied before the maasi month ends. But if the nombu timing falls in the midnight/early morning, we can either perform the pooja the previous night or the next day morning in an auspicious time.
We put kolam in the front entrance and also in the pooja room. We also place flowers for all the idols in the pooja room. We use banana leaf to perform the pooja. If you don't have it, use a plate which is not used for your regular eating.
We usually place one banana leaf in front of god and arrange beetel leaves, nuts(paaku), banana, 2 turmeric sticks and the yellow thread along with the odd number of sweet and salt nombu adais and butter. Opposite to the pooja shelf, we keep the same way as above - one banana leaf each for every lady in the family who has to tie the thread, including the kids. Keep fruits, beetel leaves, nuts(paaku), coconut and flowers in a tray.
As I stay in a foreign country, I use 2 separate plates for such festivals - one for the neivedhyam and another for fruits, flowers and beetel leaves.
While tying the thread, we recite the following line once.
On this day, ladies tie a yellow thread known as nombu saradu on their neck. For kids (older than 1 year), it is usually tied on the right hand or even on the neck. This thread has a small flower attached to it along with a small piece of turmeric. We usually place one thread in the pooja shelf on the picture of an amman before starting the pooja.
The exact nombu timing will be given in the Tamil calendar/panchangam. We can prepare the nombu adais and keep everything ready for the pooja before this nombu timing. We can then tie the thread during the exact timing and offer the neivedhyam. My mil always says that the thread has to be tied before the maasi month ends. But if the nombu timing falls in the midnight/early morning, we can either perform the pooja the previous night or the next day morning in an auspicious time.
We put kolam in the front entrance and also in the pooja room. We also place flowers for all the idols in the pooja room. We use banana leaf to perform the pooja. If you don't have it, use a plate which is not used for your regular eating.
We usually place one banana leaf in front of god and arrange beetel leaves, nuts(paaku), banana, 2 turmeric sticks and the yellow thread along with the odd number of sweet and salt nombu adais and butter. Opposite to the pooja shelf, we keep the same way as above - one banana leaf each for every lady in the family who has to tie the thread, including the kids. Keep fruits, beetel leaves, nuts(paaku), coconut and flowers in a tray.
As I stay in a foreign country, I use 2 separate plates for such festivals - one for the neivedhyam and another for fruits, flowers and beetel leaves.
At the time of nombu, break open the coconut, do the neivedhyam and also show aarathi. Tie the thread in the neck and put 3 knots. Tie it for yourself before doing for the kids.
While tying the thread, we recite the following line once.
"Urukadha Vennaiyum oru adaiyum vaithu nombu nootren, oru naalum en kanavar piriyadhirukka vendum".
After tying the thread, we eat the nombu adai which is offered as neivedhyam for the god.
We usually wear the thread at least for a week and apply turmeric on it everyday. You can wear it at least for 2 days and remove after that. Ensure that the day we remove is not Tuesday/Friday/Saturday.
If you should not celebrate festivals during the year for any reason, you can still tie the yellow thread without making the adais and without doing neivedhyam. Also if you are not able to perform this pooja on the exact day due to some reasons, tie the thread on an auspicious day and time following the festival.
If you should not celebrate festivals during the year for any reason, you can still tie the yellow thread without making the adais and without doing neivedhyam. Also if you are not able to perform this pooja on the exact day due to some reasons, tie the thread on an auspicious day and time following the festival.
Neivedhyam Dishes
Listed below are the links for preparing home made rice flour and the recipe for sweet and salt adais.
Kolams
http://subaskolams.blogspot.com/search/label/Festival
I have referred the below sites for the general information on this festival given at the beginning of the post.
http://www.hindudevotionalblog.com/2009/03/karadayan-nonbu-tamil-festival.html
http://www.prokerala.com/festivals/karadaiyan-nombu.html
Reference
http://www.prokerala.com/festivals/karadaiyan-nombu.html
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