Ellina Amavasya ( some Facts)

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Ellina Amavasya

 

Margashira KriShNa

Wednesday 16th Decr 2009

 

Yellu Amavase is observed on the no moon day in the Margashirsh month (November – December)

in Karnataka and parts of Andhra Pradesh.

 

In 2009, Yellu Amavasya date is December 16, Wednesday

 

Yellu means Sesame or Til and Amavasya is the no moon day. The festival is observed by farmers and is form

a thanksgiving to mother Earth for a good harvest

 

We have Hingaaru, Mungaaru (in Kannada) types of Harvest

 

This is the time for Hingaaru. White Jowar, Coton,Sesame seed, harvest season. Sesame seed (ELLu) we get plenty since Sankranti would come in January. We are aware about the sanctity of ELLu during sankranti. Ryots cultivating depending on Hingaru region would perform this Festival.

 

Mostly Ryots festival. Mungaaru harvest is done during “SIGE HUNNIME”.

Similarly “ELLU AMAVASYA” done during HinGaaru. People remember ELLU HOLIGE,KADABU” as to day’s “Pakwaana VaishiSTya”.

 

(Courtesy: Bharateeya HabbagaLu by Pundit Che a Kavali, Ramashraya Book Depot, Dharawada. Page 166-167)

 

Yellu Amavasya, also spelt as Ellu Amavasya, is observed on No Moon day in Margashira month (Margasira Amavasya) in Karnataka and some parts of Andhra Pradesh.

This is a major festival in farming communities in North Karnataka. In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh states, this festival marks the ending of Kharif season. Farmers celebrate the day as thanks-giving festival dedicated to the Mother Earth.

On Ellu Amavasya day, farming families visit the fields along with their family cuisine and offer puja to Mother Earth and to Lord Shani. Literally in Kannada, Yellu means sesame grains and these sesame symbolize Lord Shani. Special recipes are offered to the deities and respective family deities are worshipped with great fervor. Farmers believe that ‘Bhoodevi puja’ helps them yield good crop in coming seasons and the Mother Earth blesses their families with good health and wealth.

Another major Amavasya festival dedicated to Mother Earth and to crops is – Polala Amavasya which is celebrated in Shravana Masam

CelebrationsPeople celebrate the festival with great devotion to thank mother Earth for good harvest in the particular year and pray for same in the coming year. People perform the 'Yellu Amavasya' pooja in their homes then move to maruto temple in the morning and whole family visit their respective fields along with special cuisines for further festivity of the day. Few people also worship cattle at their homes on this day.Many preparations are made for the festivals, thorough cleaning of houses is done and houses are decorated. New clothes are brought for the festival. Many special dishes are prepared which are taken to the fields as part of festive celebrations. Some of the important dishes prepared using pulses and green leaves are 'Yellu Holige' (a type of sweet pancake), 'jolada kadabu', 'hindi pallya', 'kucchhe kara', 'muddhy pallya', 'sajji rotti', 'shenga hindi', 'pundi pallya', bajje, pundi, chikki, palak, menthe, rajgiri, bartha, jowar kadabu and sajje kadabu.Festivity at farmsPeople get dressed up in their best festive attires on the D day and move together with friends and relatives to their fields along with the special dishes prepared for the festival.Some rituals are practiced in the fields like farmers select and pick up five smooth stones from their fields and worship them. Then the small quantity of food brought from home is offered to mother earth by throwing it in all directions of the field followed by the loud voice of ‘Hovilgol, Surambagigol', in order to offer the food to the Gods. This is called 'Charga Chellodu'.Some people also practice spraying of sesame and jaggery all around the fields. It is considered the sesame and jaggery are food for the worms in the farmland. After practicing all the rituals whole family and friends feast together in the field. We could understand how our farmers are indebted to mother Earth. They depend on the bounty yield. .People residing in cities move to their parental villages for the festivals or move to near by gardens or public parks with the food and have food together with their family and friends.

 

“BeLadingaLa OOTa:” But We do only on Full Moon Day as “ BeLadingaLa OOTa” going to Besant NagarBeach (Chennai) , Malpe (Udupi), Mangalore, Coondapura, or Ankola or eat together on the terrace in “BeLadingaLu”.Time for Celebration Yellu Amavasya or Ellu Amavasi is the major festival observed by people indulged in farming in the state of Karnataka. Yellu means sesame and Amavas means new moon day so the festival is observed in the month of December or January on the new moon day of Margashirsh month. The festival is celebrated to mark gratitude towards the mother Earth for good crops.

 

 

Jomlutirtha Water Fall

Fascinating waterfall in Western Ghat situated 42 Km from Udupi, 10 Kms. from Hebri. This cascade of the river Sita creates a beautiful picnic spot. On the auspicious day of Ellu amavasya, several thousands of people come to have a dip in the waterfall here.

 

 

Those who observe Amavasya TarapaNa, Kattale etc , perform-follow routine.

 

( Courtesy: Different sources)

 

GRRRao

BengaLuru

 

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