Post Makar Sankrat there is a frenzy of activity every weekend in maharashtrian households in Mumbai for almost a month. Its the ladies bonding time. The neighbourhood bustles with women moving from one home to other to attend the Haldi Kunku ceremony.
My friend Jyoti celebrated her first Haldi Kunku. This ceremony is celebrated by married women. They invite other married women for sharing a pooja, some Tilgul and a lot of gossip. Here they apply dots of Haldi/Turmeric and Vermilion/Kunku the symbols of fertility on each others foreheads and build great bonds. In today's Business Schools they teach you about networking who needs it if you just follow traditions. Since it was Jyoti's first the women decorated her with jewelry made from sugar beads. She wore the trademark black saree with golden embriodered dots called Chanderi saree. Its the only time a maharashtrian women wears a black saree for a pooja. They say it absorbs all evil to come ahead in one day and the newly weds stay protected in the future. She had a lot of fun. I do not have pictures of her ceremony but sharing here my haldi kunku.
I did a pooja on Sankrat day and since I have been busy with many things bought readymade Tilgul and Chikki/Peanut toffee, crystal sugar and little packs of Haldi Kunku. Packed it in small plastic boxes, these are gifted as Vaan, auspicious gift meant to bless the ladies and also honor them for being a WOMAN. Then I went to my 3 next door neighbours to distribute it.
Today lets celebrate an online haldi kunku all ya gals reading this, especially my blogger friends.
Chipoto
Undheri
updated: 5/03/07
How colorful! Very good info.We call it Kunkuma in K'taka!Great pic!:))
ReplyDeletewish you too a very happy makar sankrata.. Til Gul ghya aani god god bola
ReplyDeleteIts that "hurda" Time of the year too - hope we all get to sample some this winter ! ( its not over yet :)
cheers,
vinaya
Is it "Kinku" in Marathi, I know it as "Kumkum" same right ?
ReplyDeleteWould have loved to see that sugar bead jewellery
We do not have the custom of Haldi/Kumkum but many of my friends/neighbours from South have. I am not very sure what it all means but I go along and put the haldi and kumkum as I see them do. Also have you seen some put a dot of haldi on the throat (outside), is that how it is done ?
Yes Asha its kumkuma.
ReplyDeleteYeah Vinaya..I'm thrilled to see your comment! I'll try to see if I get it here.
Sandeepa its the same Kumkum. Lets see if I can coax Jyoti for it. About Haldi dot in put below Kunku dot in Maharashtra. Haldi on the throat (outside), near the ears and on feet is South style.