Now that we have a baby, I want to start celebrating festivals at home. I got the list of which festivals to celebrate, but I need help knowing what to do at each one. I got some information from Google, but I would love some real-people input. I would want to know what to cook, how many days to celebrate, what kind of puja to do, if we have to go to the temple and anything else that is customary (e.g. buy new clothes, give gifts to family, how to decorate the house, if I have to fast, etc.). I don't want to leave anything out because it's difficult or old-fashioned, I would really like for my son to grow immersed in as many traditions as possible, but since I grew up in a different culture, it's hard for me to know what to do! Thanks! Pongal Karayadar Nombhu Tamil New Year Adi Velli kzhamai Avani avattam Vinayaka Chathurthi Gayathri Japam Navarathri Deepavali Karthigai Deepam
Dear marisa, As Karthigai Deepam is just round the corner, I ll brief you on what is usually done at that time. Karthigai deepam is celebrated on the day of Karthigai star in the Tamil month of Karthigai (november and december). It is celebrated to glorify Lord Shiva and Murugan. you can have a look at one of the threads in the religion and spirituality forum for more information on that. This year its on the 11th of dec. Basically lamps are lit all around the house in the evening . Sweets made with puffed rice (called pori in tamil) are made along with a kind of pancake called appam. you can find the recipes for the same here, in IL itself. There is no specific pooja as such done except for neivedya. It is what I have been doing all these years.But some perform the vellakku pooja. You dont have to fast on karthigai day.Some people also burst crackers and celebrate Karthigai,just like diwali. You can find the recipe for pori urundai in the thread: Kitchen and household > Indian recipes > Ask Chitvish > Get-Together Menus recipe for appam: <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TR vAlign=bottom> <TD width="100%">kitchen and household > Indian recipes > Sweet and dessert recipes- unusual ones happy karthigai! Vaazhga valamudan Subasrini