Karkkidaka vavu bali

Bali tharpanam at Thirunavaya.

Every Malayali Hindu family observe the Karkkidaka Vavu. This year, 2011 it falls on the 30^th of July. Pithru tharpanam is the most noble ritual all Hindus must do. It is the remembrance of one’s ancestors. One should observe the bali to the past 7 generations of his family.

Yearly Pithru bali for each of the deceased family members is observed without fail, by their children, in our family. The rituals have slight changes in different regions, but we follow what our ancestors did.

Karkkidaka vavu falls on the New moon day of Karkkidakam, the first Amavasi of Dakshinayanam. Hindus believe that paying respect to Pithru devatas during this time is a noble ritual.

We observe a semi-fasting on the previous day of Pithru tharpanam. We observe “Orikkal”, which means having “annam” only once a day. For the people of Kerala, their “Annam” is rice. So we take a meal only once that day. We take food only after the bali tharpanam is over the next day.

Throughout Kerala, the river sides will be crowded with people. The rituals start and end with a dip in the river. Pithru tharpanam is done only wearing wet clothes. The dip in the river is to observe ‘shudham’, no one should touch each other after the bath, till the ‘bali’ is over. The rituals are done with the help of a Brahmin.

In the evening “ada” a sweet rice preparation is made on plantain leaves and offered to God. Though I don’t know the significance of it, we still follow the ritual of making ‘ada’ compulsorily. Idli and vada and ada as prasadam is dinner menu after the karkkidaka bali tharpanam.

Eating certain foods, or not eating certain foods on auspicious days is a custom in our family, still followed by many of the elder generation. We hope the younger generation watch and follow the family heritage of religious rituals. Even though some feel they are superstitions, we elders have faith in them and we are sure they too adopt the values of life taught through the rituals if not now, but at some time in their life.