Thiruvathira Festival of Karnataka
Name of Festival :Thiruvathira Festival
Time of celebration (Month)
Thiruvathira Festival is celebrated on the asterism Thiruvathira in Dhanu, the fifth month of Malayalese calendar (Kolla Varsham) or in month of December or January
Major Territory of Celebration
Makar Sankramana Festival celebrated in Karnataka state of India
Worship in Festival
People worship the Lord Kaamadeva and Loard Shiva
About Festival
Thiruvathira Festival is the women’s festival of Kerala. This festival is most important among Nair and Nampoothiri families The main conception of this festival is that it is the commemoration of the death of Kamadevan; the cupid of our national mythology.On this day women worship Lord Shiva and pray for conjugal harmony and marital bliss. Other important thing about this festival is the enchanting Thiruvathirakkali or Kaikottykali dance performed by women on this day.
History of the Thiruvathira Festival
Thiruvathira festival is celebrated to commemorate the death of Kaamadeva, the God of love according to Hindu mythology.Some people says that on this day Lord Shiva take his darshan in a local Shiva temple before the sunrise.So people celebrated Thiruvathira Festival as the birthday of Lord Shiva.
Celebration of Thiruvathira Festival
On this day all people wake up early and after bath they sing Thiruvathira songs those are mostly related to Lord Shiva in worship of Lord Kaamadeva. At the end, women stand holding hands in the formation of a circle and sing songs. Some women observe fast on this day .On this day some people eat betel leaves , this is a tradition of this festival .In Nair and Nampoothiri families the first Thiruvathira Festival after marriage is called “poothiruvathira” or “Puthen Thiruvathira “and they celebrated it in grand manner.
Namboodiris, ambalavais and Nairs communities having close association with Nambodiris there is tradition called ‘Pathirappooochoodal’, meaning ‘wearing of flowers of midnight’. In the midnight of Thiruvathira an image of Lord Shiva is placed in the central courtyard of the house and offering of flowers, plantains and jaggery is made to this image and women perform the Thiruvathirakkali or Kaikottikali around the image.
