A Date With Ekadasi Vradham(fast)

Hilarious narration. I could imagine the scene and empathize completely with it. In Marathi it is said "Ekadashi, duppat khaashi" meaning you end up eating double on Ekadashi!

 

Oh, talking of sabudana khichadi, I can't forget the first time I discovered Hartalika, a 'fast' observed by Maharashtrian women for the long lives of their husbands or to find a good man. The 'fast' means you don't eat regular meals, but everything made of sabudana in various forms is allowed. Am sure all the men also feel incentivized to reciprocate the prayers of their wives or to pray for a good one.

So too kande navmi - celebrated sometime during June or July just before a phase of the monsoons, when people eat everything made of onions all day long because for a few months (am not sure how many) they do not get to eat onions as it causes gastric problems in that weather.

 

This is because as per hindu tradition/scriptures, longevity of husbands is of paramount importance for the family to have a Head! women were considered only a support system. Accordingly all the rituals for longevity are based on the birth date of the men in the family like shastiapthapurthi,bheemaratha shanthi , sadabhisekham etc. It held a meaning in those days, as the women had to depend completely on the good will of the other members to support them in the absence of their spouses and led a horrible life almost of slavery. However all this is so ingrained in the society that even now a woman who is widowed is pitied , irrespective of her abilities to manage a life on her own!

 

The site has gone too slow. After a few attempts I managed to open this snippet and the reading was so absorbing and humorous. Reminds me of my fasting days. I used to have Nirjala fast (Not even water) on tuesdays. My marketing jog took me to different places and meeting people.
I was in Rajasthan and visited our dealer with our local representative. He offered tea and I refused saying I do nirjala fast on tuesdays. He said then orange juice will do. We all laughed.

 

I was supposed to take only sweet food for dinner. For some days, when at home it was Kheer or Halwa and Parathas and sweet curd in the restaurants. It lasted for about 25 years. My dinner always was parathas and sweet curd.
One thing that motivated my daughters was to accompany me on my visits every tuesday to the Hanuman Temple having prasada and bringing sweets on the way back home and of course, parathas.