Sumangali Prarthanai & Pondugal

gayu_r · Mar 4, 2009

Dear Chithra Manni,

I have a small request on the pudavai kalam. I have seen the 9 yards saree (which goes to the daughter of the house), being draped on the pudavai kalam and looks like ambal sitting there, with jewels adorned. If feasible can you please post some pictures on how to do this drape, at your convenience.

Thanks a lot.

Gayu

vanaja · Aug 8, 2009

Dear Chitra

My question regarding this is "when should the person conducting (I mean the in-laws, who should share the pudava ilai) eat? whether before providing thamboolam and dakshinai for the pondugals or after that??? Because, some says that we sould not make wait the swami also for a long time and so that ilai sould also be finsihed off early. Please provide correct details.

Chitvish · Aug 9, 2009

Hi,
I have just written, what all I am aware of. It is possible for the woman who conducts to sit & eat, only after, providing thamboolam and dakshinai for the pondugals.If there is an advice for you other than that way or differently, please follow it.
Love,
Chithra.

tanoshii · Nov 25, 2009

Dear Chitra...

Thank you sooooo much for the lovely write up..Am going to do the Pondugal for the first time in the family and the tense part was it has not been done for the past 32 years now. And being the first daughter in law of the family I wanted it to go as perfectly as possible..at least perfect enough to make everyone happy. This has helped me so much...Thanks again ..:thumbsup

umanu2716 · Jan 24, 2010

Hai

Your pondugal procedure is useful and I want to know about the SAMAYAL RECIPE OF WHICH some items I know

Like THANI KOOTU ,PITLAI If you explain the procedure how to cook

all your other puja procedures are useful

I am from Thanjur Dt

Thankyou

UMA:bonk

singingbird · Dec 12, 2010

wonderful ...thanks a lot chittu....

janaradha · Jan 14, 2011

Hi,

I have seen your posting on sumangali prathanai. It really helps a lot to know more about the event. I have few questions regarding the same. It would be nice if you could explain more on that:

1. We are planinning to do sumangai prathana this month end. But my husband's periyappa family has recentlly performed sumangali prathanai (last month). They are stopping us to perform. As we have planned already and invited everyone, is it wise to stop it? If it's not adviceable to do two sumangali prathana @ the same year, how can we handle this? They are doing every year & are not inviting us. This is the first time we are initiating. Please advice us.

lathasekhar · Feb 11, 2011

Dear Ms Chithra,

Sumangali Prarthanai details given by you is very helpful for our entire brahmin community, especially for new generation ladies. Lot of thanks to u. More n more details expecting from you towards our rituals in this site.

Thnks
Latha sekhar

Chitvish said: ↑

SUMANGALI PRARTHANAI- (PALAKKAD TRADITIONS)

Sumangali prarthanai is a combination of shubha and punya karmams, performed when there is a wedding in the family (either daughter or son),or before an auspicious function like poonal, seemantham etc.

If a female family member has passed away as sumangali, it is customarily performed on the day next to the devasam – annual function.

Suitable months
All the months except adi, markazi & purattasi

Suitable days?
Fri, wed- most ideal
Sun thurs & mon – secondary
Tue & sat – not done
Not performed on ekadasi, dvadasi, pournami, amavasai – because on these days, oil bath cannot be taken.

Saree

9 yards saree – no black, preferably yellow or red

On the previous day

On the day previous to the sumangali prarthanai, one must take the following:
oil, shikakai & manjal podi to the houses of all ladies who are participating. .
They must be requested to have oil bath with this & come to partake of food and wearing 9 yards saree.
Girls who have attained puberty, but are not married are usually not allowed to participate in the Sumangali Prarthanai.

To initiate proceedings on the day of Sumangali Prarthanai

This has to be done by the main lady conducting the sumangali prarthanai, before bath at 5 A . M.
At, 5 A M draw podi kolam on a palakai over kolam on the floor
Place saree & blouse on it.
In front, keep vethalai, pakku, manjal kizangu, all oil & shikakai
Smear drop oil on the saree, dot shikakai
Offer a namaskaram
That oil is to be used by all ladies of the house for bathing

No. of Pondugal

Minimum 7 – include one kanya pon . Should be odd no. The number of Sumngalis participating varies from 5 - 9.It depends on the house custom & how much space is available to put nuni elais.

Let us call the main palakai with saree as pudavaikalam.

Besides this odd no. of pondugal , 2 leaves (also called swami elai) are mandatory.

Before going for oil bath, now wash the saree & dry on the terrace.

Clean the place, now draw maakolam, after bath

Place on the maakolam the following- Palakai, 2 swami elais one on either side of pudavaikalam.

Draw separate kolams for all other .

On the palakai keep a mirror at the back & a marapachi in front of the mirror.

On the palakai over the marapachi, place the saree – make kosavams, tie & keep on palakai – blouse + other dresses like chithadai on the palaka or nearby

Decorate both the mirror & pudavai with flower garland & gold chain.

Near by, keep kumkum, chandanam,akshathai, uthiri poo, niraya poo, manjal, vethalai, pakku, Pancha pathram jalam, chukku vellam, panakam, maruthani, ( neer mor) , thengai pal,sombu jalam, bakshanam, fruits.
NB: neer mor is custom only in some families, not all.

Invite all ladies - request them to stand – give manja podi – ask them to apply it on the legs & wash. Make them stand in the hall, offer kumkum, chandanam, flowers &show arathi or kalpooram

Invite sappida vango - சாபிட வாங்கோ & make them sit

As far as possible keep all elais & arrange persons sitting, facing North & east. Next option is facing west. Facing south is avoided. This is determined by the space available.

Start serving from swami elai – round & clockwise direction

After serving all items ( including sadam & ghee); the main person, conducting should go near the main pudavai, collect flowers, akshathai, manjal & kumkum – pour 2 tsp water from panchapathram. , keep in the right hand. First take the hand round for first swami elai, pour down only the water – repeat round for all elais, finally come to the pudavai kalam & offer everything there.

Perform namaskaram facing palakai, to the saree etc.which signifies the sumangali.

Ask all family members also to offer flowers & do namskaram.

Kudikka neer:

First swami elai – one spoon near the elai for both elais.

Round for all ladies then 1 tsp to all ladies on their hand & also saying

‘Ellarum neer vangikkongu’

எல்லோரும் நீர் வாங்கிகோங்கோ

Finally come to swami elai & say ,
Arinjava ariyathava therinjava theriyathava ellarum vanthu saappidungo”

அறிஞ்சவா, அறியாதவா, தெரிஞ்சவா, தெரியாதவா எல்லோரும் வந்து சாப்பிடுங்கோ

Perform namaskaram.

Now sappadu can start.

Offer thengapal immediately after rasam sadam

Before they get up, offer 1 tbsp sombu water from near the pudavai elai to all ladies

After food:

Request everybody to sit together.

Offer panakam, chukku vellam,vethalai pakku etc dakshinai & finally maruthani

Permitted vegetables: All nattu vegs except drumstick, potato. Tomato is allowed in some houses.
Samayal
2 pachadi – one curd, one puli
2 kootu - one with & one without puli
2 curry - podithuval
Parikkai pitlai & morkuzambu
Ordinary rasam
Arisi- vellam - little pal - payasam (Rice is cooked & then jaggery is added. Remove & add milk enough to get the required consistency).
Thenga thogayal
Thick thayir
Ama vadai, neyyappam, poli ( optional)

Fruits:
First preference - Mango, jack fruit, banana, secondly others like apple, orange, sathukudi & grapes.

Love,
Chithra.

Click to expand...

Riyakathir · Mar 23, 2011

Dear Chitra amma

I am going to get married in couple of months. i have never seen doing sumangali pooja in my house tradition. i am getting married to a naidu (its a love marriage) but i wanted to do sumangali pooja for the wellness of all the known ladies of mine.

i don knw about my PIL house, as of now they will not be much convenient to talk to me. can i perform it all alone. and what ever you have said, shall i perform and do the pooja.

actually i was searching all over the net for this, and i was very happy to see your post. really very happy. i read that to him also and he is interested and encouraged me to do it.

thanks a lot amma.
need your blessings.

Chitvish · Mar 23, 2011

Deaar Riya,
The elderly ladies in your house can do it. No need to depend on your fiance's family. This can be done before marriage. It is done to invoke the blessings of all ancestors.