Of seasons and rituals….

With the advent of heavy monsoons in the coastal region down South of India begins the month of Ashada for Bangaloreans, also called Aati for the Mangaloreans. Like the Roman calendar, the Indian calendar lists Asadha as one of the months and down the coastal belt of Karnataka in Tulu nadu, was followed the Tulu calendar which lists Aati as a month (July-August to be precise). During Aati there aren’t many auspicious occasions or marriages as it is considered inauspicious. Incidentally, this month also has the heaviest rainfall recorded and hence could only be an inconvenience if any gathering is held during the month. The heavy rains prevent the farmer and his family from going anywhere close to his fields as the fields are inundated and hence provide respite to the farmer. Apart from this, it is that time of the year when there is cautious spending due to the lack of income in the family. Mangoes and jackfruit preserved in brine are ladled out, vegetable dishes are popular as the fisherman cannot venture to the seas and dry fish chutneys, kashayas, fried jackfruit delicacies, happalas or papads made out of jackfruit is fried and Aati special cuisine is served in homes. People stayed indoors and families spent time talking and bonding with each other.

In the midst of all these, are certain customs that make very interesting a read. During this time of the year, is when one New Moon Day or Amavaasye, is observed by drinking a special kashaya, a medicine that keeps ailments away and builds on immunity. Entertainment in the earlier days was the Aati kalenja, ‘kalenja’ being the name of a spirit whose role was to guard the people of the village or the town during this time. This dance form has the dancer wear an attire made out of tender palm and Areca leaves and sing the paddana or the folk songs with a drum as an accompaniment and go door to door. In return, he would collect grains as a reward for singing and dancing and that would be the meal for the family that did not own any land or did not have enough grain in stock. Likewise, ancestors are worshipped during this month and food is offered to the spirits with the faith that they would guard them and their generations. With water all around and floods, it was but natural that snakes, waterborne diseases, insects caused diseases, and so it was important to offer prayers to all the spirits. While families seldom-visited temples during this time, one major offering made to the Goddess is during the Aati maari pooja. Poultry and sheep is sacrificed to the goddess so that she can provide relief to her devotees and also keep the people safe from all ailments and usher prosperity into the farmer’s house.

An interesting ritual followed during this time is when the newlywed bride comes home to her mother for a month during Aati. The ritual is called Aati kullare..meaning to say spend a month resting with the mother. As the mother goddess takes care of her family, the daughter is also welcomed back to the mother’s house during this month. It was earlier considered inauspicious if the girl stayed back with her husband and his family, the first Aati month after her wedding. Logically it makes a lot of sense as this time of the year, during the olden days when the joint family system was prevalent, the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law of the house had very little work in the fields or in the house. For the young bride who had entered the family, perhaps this was the only time when she could take a break to go back to her mother’s house. Again, this brought in peace and time to revisit relationships, reconnect with family, and also redefine roles. The mother of the newly wedded groom would get time to spend with her son and relive her relationship. The daughter-in-law would be kept away from the mother-in-law. The bonding between the mother and the daughter is strengthened during this time and time is spent in retrospection and introspection by the young lady. And when the girl returns she goes back with a new and fresher perspective in life, maintaining old ties with her family and renewing and looking forward to newer relationships, bonding better after the physical and the mental rest. Interesting that some of these rituals are given a very superstitious perspective or a religious standing so that people learned to pay obeisance to nature and allow nature to take its course.

While heavy rains stopped people from venturing out, it was considered inauspicious to buy anything new or call for celebration. When the older generation realized that the woman of the house, who was a homemaker needed a break from her chores, the monsoons served as the right break. And when temples were flooded and people could not enter the temples, people worshipped the spirits and ancestors. And when the fields were flooded and there was fear of ailments and diseases, people took to medicinal potions and also stayed indoors apart from praying to the gods and practicing restraint. All of this was followed strictly and with earnestly with the hope that after Aati came Sona or after Ashada came Shravana, the time for rejoicing, prayers, and celebrations.

“O, Wind. If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” — Percy Bysshe Shelley.