Kaaradaiyaan Nombu ( Savithri Vradam)

KAARADAIYAAN NOMBU

“Kaaradaiyaan Nombu” which is also known as “Savithri Nombu”, is a tamilian festival where as per Hindu mythology, a married woman prays for the well being and long life of her husband. It has been celebrated on a particular day when the transition between two tamil months of “Maasi” and “Panguni” takes place. It is observed at the exact time when the Tamil month of Massi ends and the month of Panguni begins. Ladies will be in fasting till the transition time, break the fast by eating the Karadai preparation with butter and then wear the Kaaradai nombu saradu, which is a yellow thread, around the neck.

Karadaiyan Nombu is observed in remembrance of the Satyvan – Savitri legend.

The story of Savithri is mentioned in the Mahabharatha as a conversation between Markandeya and King Yudhistra. The oldest known version of the story of Satyavan and Savithri is found in “Aranya Parva” of the MAhabharatha. This story is told by Markendeya when King Yudhistra asks whether there has ever been a woman whose devotion matched Draupadi’s devotion, love and reality to her husband. Then Markandeya replies with the story of Savithri.

Savithri was the daughterof the King Asrapathi.When her father asked her who she wished to marry she pointed to Sathyavanwho lived in the forest.Despite being warned by Narada that he would die within a year of marriage,she married sathayavan. 
Impressed by Satyavan’s devotion towards his blind parents, Savitri decides to marry him. On enquiry, the King found out from Sage Narada that Satyavan was the son of a deposed king and that he was destined to die in a year.

King first refused to the marriage but Savitri was adamant. Finally, the King relented and the marriage was conducted and the couple left for the forest. 

They led a happy life and soon a year passed and Savitri realized that Satyavan would die any moment. So she kept fast and always followed him. .Her offerings were durwa grass and peepal leaves.She performed neivedhyam with wild rice and toor dal. that is kaara arisi and thuvaram parrupu that is why this vratham is known as karadayan nonbu.



Next day, she followed Satyavan to the forest. While cutting woods, he fell down and fainted. Soon, Savitri realized that Satyavan is dying. Suddenly she felt the presence of Yama, the god of death. She saw him carrying the soul of Satyavan and she followed Yama.

Yama first ignored Savitri thinking that she will soon return back to her husband’s body. But she persisted and kept on following him. Yama tried few tricks to persuade her but nothing worked. Then Yama said that it is impossible for him to give back the dead as it is against the nature’s law. Instead, he will give her three boons.

Savitri agreed with the first boon she asked for a son for her father. With the second boon she asked that her in-laws be reinstated in their kingdom with full glory. 

Finally, for the third boon she asked ‘I would like to have children.’

Yama immediately said ‘granted.’ But soon Yama realized that he had been tricked by Savitri. 

Yama remained silent for a minute and then smiled and said ‘I appreciate you persistence. But what I liked more was you readiness to marry a man whom you loved even though you knew that he would only live for a year. So this karayadan nonbu protected her husband.

Prayers are offered to GowriDevi and women meditate on Savitiri and wear a yellow thread round their neckas they chant the following

The preparation is known as Karadai nombu adai - the festival takes its name from the unique Kara Adai dish. It is believed that Savitri cooked such a dish and offered it to Lord Yama along with unmelted butter as a sort of thanksgiving for sparing her husband’s life.

Significance of Karadaiyan Nombu:

Karadaiyan Nombu is a significant ritual that is mainly observed by married women in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. The word ‘Karadai’ refers to ‘a special naivedya (holy dish) and ‘nombu’ signifies ‘upvasam or vratam’. The observance of Karadaiyan Nombu is done in remembrance of ‘Satyvan-Savitri’ story. According to the legends, Savitri was a princess who with her utmost devotion towards her husband, Satyvan, saved him from the clutches of death. This story is very popular in India and there are few other Hindu festivals based on this legend, such as ‘Vat Savitri Puja’. The festival of Karadaiyan Nombu is observed by married women for the prosperity and long life of their husbands whereas unmarried girls keep this observance to get their choice of husband.

Rituals during Karadaiyan Nombu:

• Fasting or vratam is an important ritual on the day of Karadaiyan Nombu. Married women observe a fast from the time of getting up. The fast is broken after completing the puja rituals. Women break their vratam by eating the unique Karadai preparation with butter. The fast is broken anytime in the late afternoon or evening only when the transition occurs.
• On Karadaiyan Nombu a special naivedya is prepared and is known as ‘Karadai Nombu Adai’. 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.
• Women on this day worship Goddess Gowri and offer the Karadaiyan Nombu Naivedyam to please the Goddess. Special mantras are chanted at the time of offering the Karadai to Goddess Gowri. The puja of Karadaiyan Nombu is performed at the specific time when Massi month ends and the month of Panguni just begins.
• Another significant ritual on Karadaiyan Nombu is wearing the yellow colored thread, referred as ‘Karadai Nombu Saradu’ around the neck. A small flower is also tied to this yellow thread. This thread is tied for the well-being of husbands.

        Women also decorate their houses with kolam on this day

 

Karadaiyan nonbu adai recipe

Ingredients

For sweet adai

Rice flour - 1 cup

Jaggery - 1 cup

Water - 2 cups

Coconut pieces - 3-4 tblsp

Karamani/ black eyed peas - 1/4 cup

Cardamom - 1, powdered

For salt adai

Rice -1 cup

coconut - 3-4 tblsp

Karamani - 1/4 cup

Salt - As needed

Oil - 1 tsp

Mustard - 3/4 tsp

Green chilli - 2 

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Asafoetida - 2 generous pinches

Method

1.     Wash and soak rice for 1 or two hours. After soaking, drain water completely and spread it in a clean kitchen towel. 

2.     Mean while, roast karamani and 7 other grains(optional)– I used  channa, black urad, green moong, finger millet, red milltet, mocha kottai, dried peas . Roast until karamani starts golden and nice aroma wafts. Let the flame in medium flame.

3.     Soak in water until you do the other works.

4.     Now the rice flour, let the cloth absorb excess water. Say for 30 minutes. Grind it to a fine powder in a mixer. Sieve it and if you get more remains(coarse rice in the sieve) again powder it sieve to prevent wastage.

5.     This will yield 2 cups plus little more. So you can use it for this recipe. 1 cup flour for each, sweet and salt version. Boil 2 cups water in a heavy bottomed vessel, add jaggery and dissolve it completely. 

6.     Filter the jaggery to remove impurities in a metal strainer. Bring to boil again and add the karamani we soaked drained from water. Simmer the flame and add the flour in a sprinkled way. Mix it while you add briskly with other hand to avoid lump formation.  

7. Continue stirring in a mashing way, to break the lumps if any. When it becomes a lump as in the picture below, switch off the flame. It takes some time, so keep stirring. When it forms lump, it may look sticky, but after cool down, it will stiffen.
8. For salt version, heat a heavy bottomed pan with oil and season with mustard, green chillies, curry leaves, asafoetida. Add 2 cups water,mix salt to it. Bring to boil. You can add a pinch of asafoetida at this stage for extra flavour.
9. Simmer the flame and add the rice flour little by little as you mix with the other hand. 
10. Cook in medium flame, this will thicken soon than the sweet dough, so be prepared for that. When it forms as a lump, switch off the flame and transfer to another vessel.
11. By now the sweet dough would have cooled down. Make equal sized balls, flatten in well greased hands and make a hole in the middle. When u make hole, dip the finger in sesame oil to make it easier. Arrange in plate/ idli plate.
12. Repeat the same for salt version and make equal size balls and flatten in well greased hands, make a hole in the middle. Arrange in greased idli plate and steam for 5-8 minutes.

Notes

• You can use store bough rice flour also for this preparation.
• Make sure you reduce the flame when you add flour and keep stirring to avoid lumps in the dough. If few lumps are there, it will break as we keep stirring, no need to worry.
• Roasting karamani adds a great flavour, not only that, it also makes it cook easily. The longer it gets soaked, it will easily get cooked and be soft in the adai.
• If you want, you can even boil the karamani to cook it before adding.
• Keep the prepared dough covered, as it will become dry while cooling down.
• It it is too dry, sprinkle water while you make adai. Otherwise the edges will be cracked.
• You can add grated coconut in place of chopped coconut, both has its own texture and taste.
• Longer the time you soak karamani, sooner and soft it will get cooked in the adai.
• The sweet dough takes longer time to get stiff. So keep stirring.
• You can add finely chopped ginger in salt adai while tempering…

We offer with butter(urugaadha vennai) and it does tastes best with it :)