Karadayan Nonbu | Savithri Vratham is a festival or a ritual performed by women in India especially by the South Indians Tamil Hindu community for the welfare and long life of their husband and for those who are not married or young girls will do this for their future husband praying for them. This nonbu should be done exactly when the new Tamil Month “Panguni” starts.” The ritual is done by fasting the whole day or until that auspicious time is born, to perform the offering and this is done because Sati Savitri fought with Yama Dharmaraja for the life of her husband , and so its followed the same way.
The story behind this Nonbu is about Savitri and Satyavan. Savitri is the daughter of King Ashtapathi. The King gave savitri the privilege and freedom of choosing her husband, and a day while Savitri was walking in a forest, she saw a man carrying a pole with two baskets on either side and it had two old people on each basket, which are the man’s parents, who are blind. The young man is Satyavan. He was serving his parents due to their ailment, and he is the one who carries them wherever they want to go. Seeing this man serving his parents and how devoted he is, savitri decided to marry him and told her father King Ashtapathi about her wish on Satyavan.
The King wanted to fulfil his daughters wishes, and so he asked sage Naradar about Satyavan and Naradar said he was a Prince, and his parents were The King and The Queen whom he’s carrying in that baskets, whose Kingdom was captured and they lost everything. And also, he mentioned about Satyavan’s life line as it’s not long as per his horoscope. But Savitri was determined in getting married only to Satyavan and wasn’t willing to step back in her decision were The King could not abide by her wishes and wanted to fulfil it for her and so they tied knots.
Both Savitri and Satyavan lived happily, yet Savitri was aware of Satyavan short life span that was getting closer as days went by. She started to observe fast and engaged herself in prayers. On the day when Masi month ended and next tamil month Panguni started Yama came to take the life of Satyavan. Savitri followed Yama and consistently fought with Yama for her husband and with her effort and sincerity and dedication by fasting and praying lord Yama was pleased and granted her 3 boons. Savitri utilized the given blessing and opportunity of the boon given by Yama by asking “Dyumatsena “Satyavan’s father to get back his eyesight”, Secondly ” The king should get back his Kingdom” Thirdly “She be the mother of 100 sons through Satyavan” and hearing this Yama acceeded and granted her the boons, and for that third boon, Yama decided to give back Satyavan’s life to her and this is how Savitri with her smartness, dedication of prayers and fasting and her faith won her husband’s life back.
On this auspicious festive day women, observe fasting from sunrise and follow the procedure and rituals of this nonbu by making sweet and savory called “Adai” which is made out of rice flour and bean with jaggery for sweet adai and salt and chilies tempered for savory adai. And also tie a thin yellow rope by saying this verses of sloka “URUGADHA VENAYUM OAR ADAYUM NOTRU UNAKAGA NAN VAITHEAN, ORU NAALUM EN KANAVAN ENNAI VITU PIRIYAAMAL IRUKAVENDUM” This is the chanting to be chanted while tying the thin yellow thread, and pray for the long life and welfare and togetherness of the husband and break their fast by offering that to Goddess Kamakshi or Lakshmi and then consume the same by dipping it with butter on sides. Also Thamboolam- a plate with “beetle leaves, and beetle nut” along with coconut and bunch of bananas or any fruit. Offer flowers to Goddess and then perform the above said chanting and prayers and tie the yellow thread and seek the blessings of Goddess kamakshi.
Vella adai and Uppu adai are made with rice flour, where the rice is washed thoroughly and drained, and then the rice is spread in a clean cloth and dried 90% while you touch the rice with your hands it should stick up but not being wet. Then that rice is grounded into fine powder and then using a flour sifter its sieved twice and stored in glass jar or airtight container to use for such occasion. I couldn’t do all these steps instead i used store bought rice flour, you can also use the “idiyappam flour” that is available.
The next step is for the written version of both adai as i did not take step by step pictures. And let us see how to make my version of both sweet and savory adai. Either use white karamani which is called as black eyed pea or use the red one. Choose to soak overnight or if you didn’t then pressure cook directly with 3-4 whistles by frying them in an empty pan well for 5-8 minutes and then proceed with what i have mentioned.
I soaked the white karamani overnight and then in the morning pressure cooked with two whistles, strained the water and then kept aside.
Vella Adai | Sweet Adai I used a pan to first boil the jaggery of 1 cup just to clean the sediments that remains after mixing and. boiling with water and then strain them with a strainer and keep that ready. Then in an empty pan add 2 teaspoons of ghee, finely sliced coconut pieces of 2 tablespoon, you can also swap it with grated coconuts, and then add 1/4 cup of cooked karamani and 1 cup of rice flour. If you don’t want to do this method before frying the rice flour, dry roast them first and then drizzle ghee and the above said coconuts to it along with karamani. The rice flour should be sauteed well for at least 5-6 mins without burning them so be mindful with the flame while cooking. And then add the jaggery water once the rice flour is roasted well for those mins and immediately keep stirring. don’t delay as it has to be mixed well and without lumps and then only if needed add hot or lukewarm water a little if you feel the jaggery water isn’t enough. The water, jaggery and the rice flour ratio should be right to get the right texture and the blend of the flour to result well. and finally add 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder. Mix together. After turning off the flame and once its warm enough to handle, then grease hands with little ghee and then make dumplings and flatten and make a whole in between, or you can also roll them as dumplings and then arrange them in an idli maker or steamer, and cook for 10 minutes, you can see the steamed dumplings will be glossy, that’s when you can understand that they are cooked. Serve this with butter once they are done after offering to Goddess.
Uppu Adai | Savory Adai I used the similar ingredients and measurements of 1 cup of rice flour and sliced coconuts or grated coconuts, and the karamani. But for this we do the tempering by adding 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, 3/4 teaspoon of mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon of urad dal, curry leaves and 2 pieces of finely chopped green chilies. Add the rice flour and fry them well. There are two methods, either dry roast the rice flour first separately or do like how i have done. And then add salt and the karamani, and coconut pieces. Some will add water and bring it to boil after tempering before adding rice flour and slowly add the flour and stir continuously to ignore lumps. and i on the other hand already boiled water and kept aside and so i gently added while stirring the flour without allowing lumps to form. (New learners do try boiling water first and then add the flour as I have mentioned). Mix well, and then once its warm enough to handle, grease your hands with oil or ghee and then make the dumplings and flatten them making a hole in between or roll them out as dumplings and then steam it for 10 minutes using idli maker or steamer. Once its cooked and looks glossy in appearance then remove it from flame, serve this in plate and offer it to Goddess and serve this along with vella adai and butter altogether.
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