Dear friends, It is always there is a practice of applying..(read applying only a dot) of turmeric or kumkum to the new clothes to be wore either on festival days or on birthdays...or on any occasion... We still follow that in our household.. What is the reason behind this practice? sriniketan
Dear Sri. My amma used to say that Kumkum and Turmeric are the prasadams of Amman. If we put it on the dress, we are taking Her blessing. But, I dont know whether it is correct, but following it. Andal
Dear Sriniketan, I always felt that Kumkum and turmeric are used during auspicious occassions for well being and I think one is wished and blessed the same while wearing new clothes - this is just a thought given my inexperience!
Andal, That's nice to think of prasadam from Amman..where Her blessings is the need of the hour... sriniketan
Rama, From your reply I came to know one thing...you and Andal..expressed the same thing as getting blessings from the Almighty.. that's true.. sriniketan
Sriniketan really very inquisitive questions and helps us to learn a lot about our traditions and customs.... As Swathi said I too was under the impression that as turmeric and kumkum are the purest forms of gods prasad they purify the new clothes or for that matter anything new so we apply them before we use them... I hope to see more people giving their views on this as a lot will be there to learn..Thanks again for raising this question..
After I raised this question here in IL,Haasini, I also raised the same question to my mom, when I was on the phone with her... She echoed, the words of Swathi, Rama and yourself.and also..that turmeric and kumkum is used for the auspicious things..so we use it for new clothes, etc.. sriniketan
turmeric is an anti-biotic so it keeps the clothes away from bacteria and kumkum is lead oxide in a way harmful to small insects and all that get into cupboards and come across this kumkum and taste it so this way the clothes are going to be clean I guess this is scientific reason like there is one good reason in all our traditions that we follow I am not sure what traditional significance it holds but this is just a try to explain it in scientific way
Thank you for sharing this scientific explanation for this matter, Aparajitha.. very very practical.. sriniketan
