Legend of Thiruvathira, an Exclusive Festival for Women

Thiruvathira Kali

Thiruvathira star in the Malayalam month of Dhanu is regarded as the birthday of Lord Shiva. It is also believed that Goddess Parvathy joined him on this day after a long penance. The legend says that the Goddess could not influence the mind of Lord Shiva and took the help of Kamadeva, the god of erotic desire. Kamadeva shot his arrow of flowers to Lord Shiva and changed his mindset. Shiva was meditating all this time and became angry when the arrows of flowers disturbed his mind. Furious Lord burned down Kamadeva into ashes and then he accepted Parvathy as his partner.

As per the belief prevailing in the state of Kerala, this happened on the Thiruvathira star of Malayalam month Dhanu and hence, the women started celebrating the festival of Thiruvathira. Rather than a festival, it is a ritual where the women start observing continence since the Revathi star that comes seven days before Thiruvathira. Women will have only one-time rice food and will have fruits all other times. On the seventh day, i.e. on Thiruvathira day, rice food will be avoided completely and will have only fruits. In some areas, they will cook porridge using powdered arrowroot and will have it. In central Kerala, people will make a special dish on that day called, “Thiruvathira Puzhukku” using raw banana, cowpeas (Black Eyed Peas), Chinese Potato (Koorkka), Greater Yam (Kachil), Yam and Colocasia. All these will cook well and then will mix with a paste of Green Chilly and Coconut. After mixing it will be heated for a while and pour a few teaspoons of coconut oil before letting it cool. This dish will be the main food on Thiruvathira day in central Kerala.

Thiruvathira Puzhukku

It is believed that it was Goddess Parvathy who observed continence like this for the first time and her aim was to get Lord Shiva as her husband. Hence, it will be girls who observe the ritual mostly. Even married women will observe it for the well being of their spouses.

On Makayiram Star, the previous day of Thiruvathira another special dish will be made which is called “Ettangadi”. This is made with eight varieties of tubers, raw-banana, dried coconut, etc. At first, eight varieties of tubers and raw-banana will be roasted in live coal and then they will be cut into pieces. Dried coconut, plantain fruits, and sugar cane also will be cut into small pieces. Then the Jaggery will be melted. These small pieces of tubular, banana, etc will mix with the jaggery liquid along with cowpeas, sesame, and Bengal gram. Once, the “Ettangadi” is prepared it will be offered to Lord Ganesha, Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvathy, and Lord Moon before having it. Usually, this will be done on the previous night of Thiruvathira, and on the Thiruvathira day, rice food will be avoided.

On the Thiruvathira day, the women and girls who are observing Thiruvathira Continence will wake up in the early morning and will have the bath. In the old days, they used to go to the nearby pond or river to take bath in groups. They used to spend a lot of time in the water with different water sports and swimming. No men will be present nearby. Then they will visit the nearby temple. They have to visit Shiva temples on Thiruvathira day and offering of tender coconut to the lord is an important part of the ritual.

Ettangadi

As mentioned earlier, Thiruvathira is an exclusive women’s festival and women are allowed a lot of freedom on that day. They can spend the whole day by swinging, playing traditional group dance form “Thiruvathira Kali” and singing devotional songs. They are not supposed to sleep in the night and the celebrations will get extended to the early morning the next day. Then they will have the bath and visit the temple to conclude the continence. Adorning the hairs with ten varieties of flowers which are called “Dasa Pushpam Choodal is also an important part of the ritual.

In the old days, only the women belong to the upper cast of then prevailing Hindu caste hierarchy used to celebrate Thiruvathira but today it has become a Hindu festival, and women from all castes celebrate it. When the rituals related to Thiruvathira are more of spiritual types, the festival has great significance in the social perspective also.

Dasa Pushpam (Ten Varieties of Flowers)

Probably this may be the only women festival and on this day, women enjoy enormous freedom. They do not have to get engaged in daily household duties; instead, they can enjoy the festival. Thus, this festival celebrates womanhood.