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Viraja
13 March 2013, 04:45 PM
All must be familiar with the story of how Savitri saved her husband Satyavan from Yama. Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savitri_and_Satyavan. Different parts of India celebrate this vrat, giving it different names and in TamilNadu, especially the Brahmins, celebrate that day known as 'Karadayan Nombu'. And Karadayan Nombu for 2013, is tomorrow - Nombu meaning 'Vrat' and 'Karadai' meaning the dish prepared especially for celebrating this vrat. This link (http://www.mycookingjourney.com/2012/03/karadayan-nombu-adai-vellam-adai-and.html) provides instruction on preparing 2 types of karadai - the sweet one and the salty one.

Younger generations might protest the 'Vrat' but a main boon the married woman asks of god at this 'Vrat' is that her husband never leaves her behind and separates from her. :)

Let us celebrate Savitri Vrat/Karadayan Nombu tomorrow and get the blessings of ma Savitri!

(It is held the time between 3:00 - 3:45 PM is good for celebrating the occasion - wearing the yellow thread).

Pls note: Savitri Vrat is popularly known as 'Karadayan Nombu' in TamilNadu, the vrat is observed on a different day in Bengal where it goes by the name of Savitri Vrat.

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Karadaiyan Nombu or Karadayan Nonbu is a major Tamil festival which is celebrated at the time on Meena Sankranti or Sankramana. It is celebrated at the moment when Tamil month Maasi ends and month Panguni starts. Karadai is the name of a unique Nivedyam prepared on this day and Nombu means Vratham or Upavasam.

It is believed that Savitri got her husband Satyavan back from Yama, the Lord of Death on the very same day. Due to this legend Karadaiyan Nombu is also known as Savithri Vratam. On Karadayan Nonbu day women worship Goddess Gowri and offer her Karadiyan Nombu Nivedyam. After Puja women tie the sacred yellow cotton thread known as Manjal Saradu or Nonbu Charadu for well-being of their husband.

Married women observe it for long lives of their husband while unmarried girls observe it to get ideal person as their husband. On this day married women and young girls wear yellow robes and pray to Hindu Goddesses for long life for their husband or to get ideal person as their husband in the future.

The fast for Karadayan Vritham is observed from sunrise on the transition day when God Surya moves from Kumbha Rashi to Meena Rashi. Fast breaking time for Savitri Nombu might fall any time between current day Sunrise to next day Sunrise depending on time of Meena Sankramana. Please note that duration of fast depends on local Sunrise and Sankramana moment and varies for all locations.

Manjal Saradu is tied at the moment when Masi Masam ends and Panguni Masam starts. DrikPanchang.com lists the exact time to tie Manjal Saradu which is also the time of Meena Sankramana and we do it for 20,000+ cities across the globe. Meena Sankramana might occur at any time during the day and many times it occurs after midnight which might not be convenient time to perform Puja rituals. However Puja for Karadi Nombu and other rituals are observed at the exact time when Meena Sankramana occurs.

If time for Manjal Saradu falls after midnight but before next day sunrise we show it in 24+ format as Hindu day starts and ends with Sunrise.

Believer
13 March 2013, 09:33 PM
namaste,

Thanks for the info Viraja. Never knew about this one.
In the North the Vrat for husband's well being is called Karvwa Chauth and this year it falls on Oct 22.

Pranam.

Viraja
14 March 2013, 07:30 AM
Believer ji,

I googled on 'Karwa Chauth' and learnt about it, although I've heard of it through my North Indian friends. The fasting is similar between both Savitri Vrat and Karwa Chauth, except we end the day with preparing 'adais' both sweet and salty and offer to god. Whereas Karwa Chauth ends in Diwali-like celebrating of distributing sweets and adorning with bridal clothing and applying henna to the hands. But, the motive is similar in both, in both the functions, ladies fast in prayer for husband's long life. :)


http://0.tqn.com/d/hinduism/1/G/y/X/mehendi.jpgMehendi or Henna Body Art
veenabollywoodmehendi.com
Namaste.

charitra
14 March 2013, 08:02 AM
There was a slight but very interesting twist towards the end of the story that wasn’t mentioned in the above referenced weblink. Twists and turns make our puranas a very absorbing read. Savitri , a brilliant and devoted wife actually tricks Yama Dharma Raja, towards the end of their high level dharmic debate, into granting her the wish he so stubbornly opposed to. Yama wasn’t going to change dharma for the sake of one woman, once the life is over it is over irreversibly, no exceptions were allowed and no preferential treatment will be given to any one. That’s part of his own established dharma in Yama loka.

On that (not so) fateful day, with her tireless attempts to impress upon him with her knowledge and logic, periodically sha gains a few boons. But then her original wish wasn’t awarded, it seems almost fruitless to continue on this path, because he kept reciting, 'any boon but for your husband's life' over and over. But then she realizes she established a pattern that goes like this-she impresses him and he gives a boon; 'OK Iam running the course of this dialogue and debate' she suddenly realizes and gets thrilled. In her mind she quickly devices a plan. When Lord Yama, in order just to to get rid of this persuasive woman, awards yet another “one final boon that too excepting your husband’s life for you”, she realizes that was her last chance and she knew she has to play her cards right.

“Since you are removing my husband from my life anyways, can you not please gift me with a child who will be able to keep me occupied , O kind Raja of Yamaloka’, the almost widow requests him as a final boon.

Without thinking much Lord Yama declares, ’’granted”, and tries to fly away on his buffalo vahana along with the life of her husband. Savithri victoriously smiles to the surprise of Yama and reminds him 'he cant leave now anymore'. Perplexed, but aware that the woman speaks no wrong, Yama demands an explanation, ”why cant I leave now?”.

She patiently reminds him,” devas can beget children without a husband sir, whereas a (manava)human like myself cannot do so with a dead husband, O learned Yama”. Yama is known to be the most well versed Deva with the Dharma shastra, in fact that is the reason Dharma Raja the Pandava eldest, who was born with his (yama’s) blessing, was also known to uphold dharma at any cost over and above any of other contemporaries. Stuck with honoring his own promise Yama had no choice but to draw an exception for her and to restore life to her husband. Once a promise is made one has to honor it at any cost and it is ok to sacrifice life doing so according to pouranic teachings. Savithri is an epitome of pathivrathyam. One of the few cited Pathivrathas in the hindu puranas, some other names like Anasuya and Sakku bai also figure this league. Namaste.

Viraja
14 March 2013, 08:09 AM
Thank you for adding this interesting piece of story that wasn't there in the Wiki link, Charitraji. Now the story is complete, and I am happy too. :)

Namaste.