Festival special – Kartik Maasu

               We are regularly updating rituals and traditions for each Konkani festival , Delighted to hear from youngsters that they are religiously following these posts and are very happy to get more information about our festivals .May their tribe increase and our glorious traditions be followed in their true way !Now to know about more about an auspicious lunar month of Kartik ! Karthik masa starts right after Vijayadasami ! During this auspicious period starting on Shukla Paksha Ekadashi day in the month of Ashada, Lord Vishnu is believed to go for His annual rest and goes to Sayanam(Yoga Nidra) for Chathurmas . During this time he is believed to  live in the Tulsi Khatto till the Utthana  Dwadasi  – ie is Tulsi Puja Day , So also the other Gods are believed to take rest . Hence no auspicious ceremonies like marriages,thread ceremonies,occupying new residence,etc are held during this time so as not to disturb them !.

All Konkani temples have a tulsi plant at a prominent part of the temple premises . .From the day Kartik Vrat starts , the tulsi plant & khatto are decorated with flowers ,mango leaves thorans ,  Rangolis and panjire / Gud deep are hung  .  At homes too this is done and a lamp lighted , Aarti is waved   in the morning & evening  along with the family deity , the holy Saligramam and prasad offered . So also in the temples – morning , noon & evening when the main deity is offered aarti . the tulsi plant too is worshipped .

Pic courtesy – Asha Radhakrishna Shenoy              Bhajana saptahas and ekke bhajans are conducted at temples with paschim jagar pooja as the Tulsi plant is at the west side of the temple .. In karthik maasa Many temples in South Canara hold Vishwa roopa Darshan at dawn..where the entire temple is lit only with diyas ( deepothsavasa )and any artificial lighting is not used are performed in temple, .The 11th day of kartik bright fortnight or the Kartik Ekadashi marks the end of Vishnu’s four months sleep, known as Prabodidhiny ekadasi !Full night bhajans are held in temples to awaken the Lord from His sleep ! On Kartika ekadashi Lord Vithoba an amla or avalo is made in aarti and also as a garland is offered to the lord.No “Dhanya”/ pulses is used for cooking in temples & for functionsand only tubers are used in the curries during Karthik maasa.

pic courtesy- Padmini Kamath

On Utthana Dwadashi day – 12th day of the first half or Shukla Paksha ,Tulsi Vivaha/tulsi pooja is performed in every house to  commemorate the marriage of Vishnu and Tulsi .Tulsi is one of the most sacred plants of the Hindus and is believed to be the incarnation of Vrinda, the virtuous wife of Jalandhar . The holy Tulsi plant is decorated  with flower garlands,a special avale aarti is waved and also  a garland is made with cotton marked with kumkum.In & around Mangalore side a wooden stand  is kept around  the tulsi katte to  tie mango leaves and keep ponthi (clay lamps).

pic courtesy-Asha Radhakrishna Shenoy

Some prefer to call family priests while some perform on their own. Godi surnali  with Ekpaani chutney is prepared in the morning with godu phovu /panchkadayi for the evening pooja   For lunch mooga gashi with kookka upkari is had  with other delicacies.
Kele ,phovu harshale is also kept for prasad .The 15th of the full moon day of Kartik,is celebrated as Karthik Poornima / Punnav Signifying Lord Shiva’s destruction of the demon Tripura thereby destroying evil and celebrating goodness. Lots of fireworks and illuminations of houses marks the God’s celebration of their victory.and is hence also called the Dev-Didiwali or Diwali of the Gods.
In Kerala Kanhangad and Tellicherry kartik punnav is famous.and in Karnataka Karkal karthik punnav is famous.In Kerala Kochi TD temple the presiding deity Goshreepureswar is adorned with an amla garland

pic courtesy – Vijayalakshmi Prabhu

Pallaki utsava , Vanabhojana and katte puja are the highlights of Kartik Punnav !
This blog post has been compiled with the Valuable help of all our FB group members – Asha Radhakrishna Shenoy  , Sandhya Puranik , Vijayalakshmi Prabhu  , Padmini Kamath ,Shobha Kumar  , Veena Nayak ,  Priya R Shenoy .Thanking them all !