Things to take to Valaikappu & Seemantham in the US

Dear ILites,
I would like to share here the preparations I made for Valaikappu, and Semantham Functions of my daughter Subha in US(march 2008) and subsequently for the Delivery of my grand daughter Baby Maany(may 2008).Hope this will be useful for prospective travellers!
The Function was scheduled to take place on 23rd March at my sister's place in Baltimore(about one and half hrs drive from Philly) and I landed in Philly along with my husband and mother on 17th evening with a whole lot of stuff for the same.At the outset my sister found out from the Vadhiyar the list of items needed from India.They were the following:
1.Sandal powder
2.Kumkum
3.Navadhanyam
4.Navagraha vasthram
5.Allam Mottu
6.Mullampandri Stick
7.Mookupizhiyum Vastram(red pattu/chinnalam pattu blouse bit or saree).
The other items for the puja were available there.
In addition I had bought two artificial flower garlands for the mapillai and penn to be worn on that day.Also got Veshti for Vadhiyar as well.

To be contd.............

Latha Sasidharan
:wave

 

Re: Preps for people going to US

Dear ILites,
Next was the items to be taken for the couple.New saree with blouse ,veshti and shirt for the couple.Bangles for the Vallaikappu consisted of Veppillai kappu(which we took from chennai and made by my mother)gold kappu,silver kappu,glass bangles and ofcourse your gift for your daughter...gold bangles,gemstone bangles or bracelets.Instead of glass bangles which are very fragile and risky to carry, my mother suggested that I take only half a dozen of them and rest were metal bangles...which were light,easy to handle and pack .These come in different hues and designs and looks very much like glass.You get a wonderful collection in Bangle stores in Mada street ,Mylapore .The custom is to adorn even number of bangles in one hand and odd number in another hand for the girl and the same number for the girl on marumanai as well.
We had invited about 30 people for the function..relatives as well as friends.So for their thambulam I had taken the thambulam bags..the viscose ones which are very light to carry and comes in bright colours,manjal,kumkum packets and instead of blouse bits i bought carnatic music cds ...which I thought everyone would enjoy.I also gave 3 pairs of metal bangles ...which proved to be a big hit.


To be contd.......

Latha Sasidharan
:wave

 

Preps for people going to US contd.....

Dear ILites,
Had to take a break due to Navarathri.....
Now about vallaikappu.First the girl is given some sweet,pongal chutney and vadam to eat.Then she is made to sit in a chair.Sandal paste,kumkum is given and a flower garland (fresh or artificial) is put around her neck.Then is the Vallai adukkum function.The girl's athai puts the vepillai kappu first,then the gold ,silver kappu and afterwards the rest of the bangles.The same is done to the person on the marumanai as well...Afterwards songs are sung by the guests and everybody gives gifts to the girl.Bangles are distributed to all the ladies and they are all given vetrillai pakku and are asked to bless the girl.

will cont......
Latha Sasidharan
:wave

 

Dear Shree;
Thanks a lot for the post.This is almost the same list of things that my mother and I brought for my daughters function.Hope it will beneficial for the parents coming from India and arranging for the Vallaikappu,Semantham function and the Punyahavachanam function in the US.

Regards
Latha Sasidharan
:wave

More to come..........

 

Re: Preps for people going to US contd.....

Then was the acthutham thelikkum function.The girl is asked to sit and bend forward and the elderly ladies are given achthadai pushpam to be put on her back and bless her to have a safe delivery. Then finally mangala aarthi was done.With this we ended the Vallaikappu function .The guests were then given a light breakfast and coffee/tea and then proceeded to Semantham function.
This started of with Pillayar poojai.Udaya Shanthi and Homan was done.Mooku Pizhiyadal is the most important part of Semantham.The alam mottu (brought from India) is put in a hand stone mortar and powdered by two kanya penngals.This is then tied up at one end of the saree (chinnalam pattu or pattu ) brought for this purpose and the juice is squeezed into the girl's right nostril.The mullampandri stick is used to draw the semantham regai...i.e it is used on the girl's forehead... from the tip to the end of the head along the partition line on the head.

to be contd............

Latha Sasidharan
:wave

 

Re: Preps for people going to US contd.....

Next was the Poochutal and Manayil Amarthi Padal Padum Function.This is primarlily done by the girl's sister-in-law.She adorns her with flowers and gifts her with new clothes and jewellery.Since only roses were available this was made into a strand and used.Next was the singing session and many of the ladies who attended the function did a good job. It was said that Veena Ganam was very good for the baby to hear as it is soothing.Since nobody could play the veena we played Pre-recorded Chittibabu/EGayathri's Veena Cds which I had brought with me.So you can remember to take some Veena Cds as well.
With this and finally an aarthi the function came to an end.Vathiyar's Sambavanai was given along with Veshti,Vertillaipakku and Bakshanams.

to be contd.........
Latha Sasidharan
:wave

 

Re: Preps for people going to US contd.....

Last but not the least was the kalyana sappudu.Here I must thank my sister-in-law and her mother who took the full responsibility of doing the massive cooking for all.There were about 35 people in all and they took care of both the breakfast and the grand lunch for everybody.The breakfast consisted of a sweet,vegetable kichedi,chutney and coffee/tea.For the traditional lunch it was :
Pal payasam
Cucumber thayir pachadi
Beetroot and tomato sweet pachadi
Potato Curry
Avial
sundal
Bisibela
Rasam
Vadai
Appalam and vadams
Thayir sadam
Mango pickle
Each and every item was good and eveyone enjoyed it.On that good fill the function ended well.Hope this is informative and helpful for the visitors coming to US for the vallaikappu and semandam functions.

Latha Sasidharan
:wave