The threads that bind The
The threads that bind
The Shravan month moon finds Indians tying threads on wrists and changing threads over shoulders. In the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, a special puja for the Godess of prosperity is celebrated called Varalakshmi Puja (the Lakshmi of all boons). In Karnataka Swarna Gowri Vratham is more popular and is celebrated very similarly to the Varalakshmi Vratham. All the eight aspects of prosperity are acknowledged and given thanks to. To commemorate the occasion a thorakam (thread) is tied by the women on their right wrists.
In the North, this very thread is tied by the sister on the brother's right wrist in the form of a Raksha (amulet or charm) praying for his wellbeing and happiness. 2 days hence parts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh etc. celebrate Bhai Dooj where the sister invites her brother home (her inlaw's home) for a grand feast. The Islamic invasions in Medival times caused women to tie threads around men unrelated by blood to protect them from undue harm from the agressors. Those were strips of cloth torn from their sari ends-nothing fancy like the silver ones we get now in the stores.
The brahmins who study the Yajur Veda change their sacred thread this day. In traditional Tamil Brahmin households diagonal lines of rice flour are drawn to commemorate the event. Food cooked for all these occasions is simply mindblowing. Most of the preparations call for rice and jaggery in various combinations. For the vratham 9 types of sweets and savories are offered to the Godess. The sister prepares her brother's favorite sweet and feeds him. The brahmacharis and grihasthas get ladoo or kheer with vadas for their efforts.
Happy Shravan Poornima everyone.
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