CHITHIRAI THIRUVIZHA --- MEENAKSHI KALYANAM AND A WEDDING FEAST IN MY HOME .

CHITHIRAI THIRUVIZHA in Meenakshi Sundareshwarar Temple (Commonly known as Meenakshi Amman Temple) is one of the most famous celebrated festival in MADURAI .This is celebrated between April and May during the Tamil month of Chithirai. People from all the villages in and around madurai will join in this festival.This year it started on April 26. On May 4 is Pattabhishegam of Goddess Meenakshi Amman . Thirukkalyanam (Wedding ) of Lord Sundareswarar with Goddess Meenakshi is on May 5 . The festival in Meenakshi Temple will end on May 7 with the Theertha festival.

THIRUVIZHA(FESTIVAL) begins with the kodi yaetram(hoisting of the festival flag) in Meenakshi Sundareshwarar Temple.Once the flag is hoisted , people in Madurai will not go out of the city till the festival is completed . Each and every family in madurai will celebrate the festival . The Wedding of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareshwarar is the main function of this festival .

This festival say a short story . Wedding of Goddess Meenakshi and Sundareshwarar will take place in the absence of meenakshi's brother , Lord Azhagar (Perumal ) . Lord Azhagar will be engaged by his devotees in Azhagar malai at the time of marriage . Hence , he will be late for marriage .

On hearing the news of marriage without his presence , he gets angry and returns to his place , Azhagar Koil . On the way to the temple , he crosses River Vaigai . This occasion is celebrated as Azhagar Aatril Erangum Vaipogam . Lord Azhagar will get into vaigai in golden horse . Lot of devotees will assemble in river vaigai to watch this occasion . Azhagar reaching Azhagar Koil is the last day of the festival .



Pattabhishegam of Goddess Meenakshi Amman :


GODDESS IN NANDI VAGANAM :


Meenakshi Kalyanam is truly one of the most popular festivals of Madurai that attracts visitors in large numbers, not only across India but from other counties as well.This festival will take a period of 12 days. The festival commences from the second day of the lunar month that is exactly two days after the new moon.



On the day of wedding , free wedding feast will be arranged for the devotees in the temple. Most of the people in madurai will have their lunch in temple . Yellow wedding ropes will be provide to all the ladies in the city . They tie it to their Mangalyam .Wedding of Meenakshi and Sundareshwarar is considered to be their own family wedding and they will prepare wedding feast in their home which inclues Rice, Sambar , Rasam , Payasam , Vadai , Paniyaram/Appam , Curd , Appalam and Pickle .

In the evening , Goddess and Lord will be decorated with lot of fragnance flowers and will be taken in a car through all the four masi streets . People will gather there and enjoy their god . The car visit will be following a person carrying umbrella , lord ganesh,lord murugan . Animals like elephants , horses , cows and camels will also take part in their visit accompanied with drum beats, flowers incense sticks and camphor. The spiritual ambience is heightened with the offerings made by the devotees like jaggery and coconut.

The next day after wedding , Goddess and Lord will be take a ride in a big Temple Car (Thaer) . This is Thaerrottam , lot of devotees will be assembling to watch it and try to hold the rope of the car .

The next day is Azhagar Aatril Erangum Vaipogam . On the same day evening , Lord Azhagar will be decorated with flowers and bless the people in and around Vaigai river and have a stay in Lord Varadahraja Perumal Temple ,near Tallakulam at night .

The next day,Lord will be moving to Azhagar Koil . During this journey , lot of devotees will accompany him from Madurai to Azhagar Koil , few kilometres from the city , leave him and then return back .

The last 12th day is the Theertha festival . Goddess and Lord will have a ride in masi streets .

Pictures of Meenakshi Kalyanam , 2009 : Click here . All the pictures about festival are got from Google.com . Thank you for the pictures . Kalyanam pictures from Dinamalar.com .

Rangoli in my home,



Special recipes to God , Wedding feast in my home : (Authentic tamilian wedding feast)



VATHAKI SEIYUM PARUPPU RASAM /FRIED DAL RASAM :


INGREDIENTS :

Garlic cloves -- 4
Red chillies - 2
Mustard , Methi seeds -- 1 tsp each
Pepper jeera powder -- 3 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Tamarind juice -- 1 cup
Tomato - 2
Curry and coriander leaves
Dal water -- 1 cup
Asafoetida

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Heat oil in a kadai . Add mustard , methi seeds . Once it splutters add red chillies,crushed garlic and curry leaves .
2) Then add chopped tomato and saute till tender .
3) Add dal water , tamarind juice and powders .
4) Cover with a lid and allow it to boil .
5) Garnish with corinader leaves .
6) Transfer it to a bowl with 1 tsp of salt .

Serve hot with rice .

SAMBAR :

INGREDIENTS :

Any vegetable (Potato , Bottlegourd,Pumpkin , Ashgourd , Ladies finger ,Brinjal ,Drumstick )
Onion - 1 cup
Tomato -- 1 cup
Tamarind -- a medium lemon size
Salt to taste
Curry and coriander leaves
Sambar powder -- 2 tsps
Turmeric powder -- 1 tsp
Asafoetida
Toor dal -- 1 cup

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Pressure cook dal with a spoon of oil and turmeric powder for 7-8 whistles .
2) Heat oil in a kadai . Add mustard , methi seeds , cumin seeds . Once it splutters , add chopped
onion and curry leaves and saute till tender .
3) Then add chopped tomato and saute till form thick gravy with onion .
4) Add veggie to it and mix well .
5) Add dal ,tamarind juice , sambar powder and salt .
6 ) Add asafoetida and cook till raw smell of powders leave . Garnish with coriander leaves .

Serve hot with rice .
GREEN GRAM VADA / PASIPAYAR VADAI :

INGREDIENTS :

Green gram dal -- 1 cup
Channa dal -- 1/2 cup
Ginger garlic paste -- 1 tsp
Onion -- 1
Red chillies -- 3
Curry leaves
Salt to taste

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Soak green gram dal and channa dal for 4 hours .
2) Grind them with ginger garlic paste,salt and red chillies .
3) Add chopped onion and curry leaves to the batter .
4)Heat oil for deep frying . Once hot , take a small ball size batter ,flatten it and fry them .

Serve hot with chutneys .

BANANA RAVA PANIYARAM :


INGREDIENTS :

Ripe banana -- 1 (small )
Rava - 1 cup
Maida - 1/2 cup
Elachi --3
Coconut --4 pieces .
Sugar to taste

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Dry fry rava for a minute . Then soak in water for 10 minutes .
2 ) Grind banana , elachi and coconut .
3) Add maida ,sugar and banana paste to rava and mix them well .Don't add water .
4) Heat oil for deep frying . Once hot , pour a ladle of batter to oil and deep fry them .

This goes to 15 minute cooking hosted my Mahima .


VENDAIKKAI PORIYAL / LADIES FINGER STIR FRY :



INGREDIENTS :

Ladies Finger / Okra / Vendaikkai -- 150 g
Onion - 1
Tomato -1
Mustard , Urat dal -- 1 tsp each
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Pepper jeera powder -- 1 tsp

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Heat oil in a kadai . Add mustard , urat dal .Once it splutters,add chopped onion and curry leaves and saute till tender .
2) Then add chopped tomato and saute till form thick gravy with onion .
3) Add chopped okra to it and mix well .
4) Cover with a lid in a slow flame .
5) Once it becomes tender , add powders and salt .Stir them well .
Remove from the flame once it is well cooked . Serve hot with rice .



GONGURA PICKLE / THOKKU :


INGREDIENTS :

Gongura leaves - 5 bunches
Sesame seeds -- 1 tsp
Mustard -- 2 tsp
Urat dal - 2 tsp
Methi seeds -- 1tsp
Coriander seeds -- 1tsp
Dry red chillies --- 8-10
Channa dal -- 1 tsp
Cumin seeds- 1tsp

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Remove gongura leaves from the bunch and wash them.
2) Heat oil in a pan . Add gongura leaves and green chillies and saute them till it becomes tender. Once done ,keep them aside .
3) Then oil fry sesame seeds, urat dal, cumin seeds, methi seeds, coriander seeds and dry red chillies . Once they are roasted keep them separately .
4) Allow them to cool. Then grind them in a blender .
5) Mix them with gongura-green chilli mixture .Add salt , chilli powder and mix them well .
6) Heat 3 tbsp. of gingelly oil in a pan. Once hot ,add mustard seeds.When it splutters,add channa dal,urad dal and 2 red chillies.
7) Add gongura mixture to it wait till it becomes brown in colour. Once done remove from the flame .

Store it in a air tight container.

Sending it over to notyet100 for her Shadi ki thali event