'Gauri Ganpati che sanala, go Baihini, baygin sange chal maherala'
Come Ganpati- Gauri festival and this iconic song is played everywhere in the Koliwadas. Most Koli women married within the community and many times in the same village in the olden days, unlike me who married a Parsi. It was the festivals that gave reason for women to visit their parental homes but rarely unless the protocol was followed. It was the brother or his wife who would come to invite the married woman for Ganpati and Gauri celebrations.
Ganpati festival preparation began days before, setting up the decorations in the auspicious space of the home. The Mangal murti brought in to the home under cover so that no one sees the face until the Sthapana (Consecration). The Chaturthi pooja is attended by everyone in the family after having a bath. A fast is kept until the Ganaraj takes his seat for the next 1.5, 5, 7 or 10 days as pledged by the family. Yes the Vighnaharta is brought home after he has successfully removed an obstacle for the family and someone pledged that they will then on worship him during Ganpati festival. The modaks are mandatory naivedya on all days during the festival. The traditional ukadiche modak and Talele modak are loved much by the Ganaraya. A different sweet is made every day along with other of his favorite foods.
What is lesser know is that during Ganpati festival falls an all women pooja called Hrushi Panchami or Rajaswala dosh pooja. Totally irrelevant in the present day but I grew up among women who celebrated it. For us as kids it was a time of just the women bonding and fun things like bathing in the sea and playing pranks. The women returned to our home for more pooja and feasting. Our ancestral home was a venue for a large group of women for Hrushi Panchami. On the way back they almost closed their eyes and told kids to watch out for a dog so that they do not spot it. Some naughty kids would purposely get a dog in their path. If the women did lay their eyes on the dog, they had to go back to the sea for cleansing and to repeat the ritual. The food was a simple stew of mixed green leafy vegetables and rice. They ate grains and greens cultivated by man only, these pure foods are called 'Painu' in Koli. They do not accept food if a bull or buffalo was used during cultivation.
Many homes the Sumukh is sent off along with Gauri visarjan. The Gauri aagaman/ arrival, pooja and visarjan is yet again, an all women celebration among the Koli. Right from the decorations, consecration, pooja and visarjan all are done by women. This is the time when a newly wed like me would be pampered. Gauri is offered the symbols of fertility a cane winnower filled with fruits and vegetables, bettle leaves and nut, haldi kumkum, green bangles etc. This worship is called Vavnsa. The Vavnsa pooja is done only during Purva nakshatra when it coincides with Ganpati festival. Hence it is not every year that Vavnsa can be performed. This alignment of the celestial bodies occurs only once in 3 years. So all new brides are lucky to have their Vavnsa done this year in the first year of marriage. After the pooja the winnowers fully loaded with goodies are then gifted to the married women in the marital home. Depending on the status of the family the winnowers are loaded with goodies and the nos. start from minimum of 5 women who receive the gift to as many as 101! It is always an odd no. for auspiciousness. Well I don't have my Mom with me to do this for me so I will be doing a single offering at home all by myself. There will be no dancing in circles with the group of women on the seashore to the beat of the dhol and no tearful good byes to the Ganaraj and Gauri.
What I am going to miss most is the meal after the Ganpati - Gauri visarjan. This meal is special as women are invited to their maternal home for it. After all the sweets and satvik food during Lambodar's stay in our home it is time for indulgence in a non - veg meal, always and always mutton or chicken curry with rice and rice roti.
Won't you love to cook it too?
Ingredients
For the masala
1 red Byadgi chili rehydrated
1/2 cup shredded dry coconut
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Koli masala
15-20 pepper corns
8 cloves
2 Black cardamoms/ Badi elaichi
5 green cardamoms
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teapoon of ginger + garlic
1-2 green chilies
1 bay leaf
2 inch piece of cinnamon
1 handful of cilantro (not in picture)
Lightly toast the spices and shredded coconut till the kitchen smells of the essential oils emanating from them. Then transfer to the chutney grinder and grind to a fine paste along with cilantro. Add little water for easy grinding. Keep aside.
1 tablespoon oil
750 kg mutton or chicken
2 potatoes made into 4 pieces
As many eggs as servings
In a handi or a saucepan heat oil. Let in the chicken or mutton pieces and large chunky potatoes into the handi. Stir to coat with oil. Now pour about a glass of water. Cover and cook till potatoes look like they are about to crumble. Yes keep the skins on the potatoes you will know why when you taste it.
Once the potatoes are done add the ground masala paste. Mix with the chicken or mutton and top up with another glass of water. Add the eggs one per person. Cover and cook. The curry turns this blackish green color due to the cilantro in it. The oil starts floating on the top a bit and you see a ring on the edges of the curry in the handi as it simmers.
Remove it from the heat and serve with rice and rice roti. I love it with a generous squeeze of lime. I tell you Chicken/ Mutton curry is superlative when the juices permeate into the chunky potatoes. Happy Burping!
