Holiday Hiatus: Puthari

I was lucky enough to be in India during one of Coorg's major holidays: Puthari, the harvest festival.

Seetha Doddavva prepares some food for the feast for the workers. One of the key dishes prepared was thumbuttu, which is something like a pudding made of bananas, fried rice powder and jaggery - my mouth waters right now just thinking of it.

Preparations: These leaf bundles are eventually put around the house, car, etc. for good fortune.

As Puthari is one of the few major holidays on the Kodava Calendar, there was certainly a great deal of anticipation leading up to this day. Akka had told me in my younger years of the triumphant cries of "Poli Poli Deva!" and the general revelry that happened on this auspicious day. Basically, on December 14th, thanks are given for the harvest and to the ancestors.

Amongst other things, Puthari involves children and fireworks...

...always a good combination.

Here Rani Kunjiavva preforms prayer before the paddy that is to be harvested by Ben Kunjiappa.

Gautham Anna fired off the gun, amidst the cries of "Poli Poli Deva!" and flying shards of fireworks. Thankfully, only two people were hit with the firecrackers, only one of which was pregnant.

After Kunjiappa got his feet washed before re-entering the house, he had to have some milk. Drink up, strong bones will make you grow tall!

Puthari was one experience of which I was certainly glad to have been a part. Kunjiappa was looking sharp in his kupya, and it was indescribably great to be with family for the event. After all of the feasting and ceremony was over, the workers came to kaal puddi (take blessings by touching another's feet) the family. I was not expecting to be a part of this, seeing as I'm a youngster in the family, and I'm always on the giving end of kaal puddis. Lo and behold, my first kaal puddi occured that night when the some of the workers' children shot over in my direction, bent over, and touched my feet. My, I felt so grown up all of a sudden. Bless you, children.