Sumangali Prarthanai

Sumangali Prarthanai

 

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

 

(The details  of doing  the pooja  is  written in tamil by my  elder  sister  in law,Humble  Namaskarams  to her)

This is a prayer function  by iyer  ladies to those ladies of their family who have died as sumangalis.( i.e. died before their husbands). Generally we also  do sumangali prarthanai before or after  wedding, poonal ,seemandham or grahapravsesham too. Sometimes they pray to the ancestors and wish for anything and do this also. If we didn’t have any occasion at home for 3-4 years,

 The blessings of these sumangalis are sought by inviting 5-8 Sumangalis for a special pooja and a traditional feast. Normally the married daughters and sisters of the family are included in the list of invitees. All Sumangalis come to the feast in a traditional attire of a nine-yard sari. Here the Sumangalis invited represent the dead Sumangalis of the house and they are first woshipped and fed. It is interesting to note that this is the only iyer function in which women eat before men. Apart from Sumangalis a kanya is also invited. There is lot of variation of this pooja, which almost differs from  family  to family.

 

       The Sumangali prarthanai is not performed on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Also, The Tamil month of Aadi and Margazhi is not auspicious to do this function. Also ashtami, navami, pradamai, amavasai and pournami are not considered auspicious to do. Any Muhurtham day will be very good and also the good time to do this pooja on the day is also fixed in advanced. Raghu kalam and emagandam are not good and so a good time will be seen considering these factor

 

A.Needed  materials

 

1.9 yards pudavai , pavadai  blouse

2.Turmeric , Paakku , betel leaves

3.Turmeric powder, Kumkumam , Chandanam(sandal wood pate) , Maruthani,(Henna)  , Chukku(dried ginger) , Jaggery

3.Jasmine flowers 6 muzham, Uthiri poo(not tied) , Roja poo

4.Draw  long kolam(Rangoli) . in the centre put 8 lines, 2 kola makanam ,

In the centre you have to keep one mirror

5.Keep two palakai(wooden flat seat) , In one keep the  9 yards sari, In another keep pavadai –The nine yard sari is given to  one of the sumangslis and pavadai to the Kanya pen who is invited  at the end of the function)

6.Put a garland to the mirror, Put a garland to 9 yards sari and one gold chain

7,

A,2 Swami leaves, 4 sumangalis(Ladies with husband alive) and One Kanya pon like this 7 leaves

or

B 6 sumangali, 2 swami ilai  and one kanya pen like this  9 leaves

 

B.Arrangements and carrying out the function

 

1,For each elai  put a small  kolam

2.Keep in on one  thambalam Uthiri po, Kumkumam  ,chandanam, Akshathai applied with turmeric, Grind maruthani

3.Carrying  out the function

Previous day each sumngali  should be invited giving  Manjal oil , Cheekkai.If possible Sumangalis  should  tie  pathinettu  muzham pudavai

Whoever  is doing the function

(Karthaa) should touch  with one finger little kumkum , sandal paste ,and maruthani,(Hennna)  take some untied flower, pour little water  by utharani round swami ilai and put twice on the sari and once on pavadai,

Then like this all ladies of the house should put,Before this all dishes  should be served  on the leaves,Then show Dhoopam(Agarbathi)  deepam(lamp),Then they should do namaskaram to thegents in the house,After  giving water to drink to every body  She should do namaskaram thinking of the elders

They should keep chukkumanam(Water in which dried  ginger  is dissolved)  , Panakam , Neer more, water, little milk  These should be kept before palakai   earlier itself

 

Befor eating each sumangali  should be given Kumkumam, chandanam , one piece flower

You should keepSome coconut milk added   with jaggery  After  serving rasam little  of this should be given to drink to each sumangali

 

Namaskaram ,And before that  we should tell Arinchava  , Ariyathava, THerinchavaa , Theriyaathavaa  All people should come and take and do namaskaram

 

We should then put floweFor pudavai 3 times, For pavadai 3 times,All others once

After  sumangalis finish  eating, They should be given Thamboola They should be offered Chukkumanam , Panakam Neer mor

 

Later  each of them should be given Betel leaf paakku, Turmeric, one coconut, one blouse piece and cash of 51 or 101

 

C.Items  to be prepared  for  the feast

 

1, thayir pachadi

2 Mangai pachadi  or  Mathan puli  vitta pachadi

3.Koottu –ilavan chenai

4.Koottu , Brinjal with kara mani or  Chenai (yam) masiyal

5,Thoran-Vazhakkai

6.Thoran-Avarakkai or beans

7.Koottan/Kozhambu  - Pavakkai  poricha  kozhambu

 

Also Paal payasam , vadai  , Neyyappam , Mangai oorukai,THokayal  and pazham