காரடையான் நோன்பு
Karadai - adai is a flat discus shaped savoury made with crab eyed beans / लोबिया (Lobia in Hindi) காராமணி (Kaaraamani In tamil) jaggery and rice flour. Nonbu means fasting or vratham. This festival is also known as Savithri (सावित्री / சாவித்திரி / ఆవిత్రి / സാവിത്രി )Vratham. The legend has it that Savithri the princess daughter of Raja Ashvapti was born to him after he did penances / Tapasya / तपस्या to Lord Surya / Sun God / Savithr! Hence the name Savithri!
She was not only beautiful but also well versed in many other things. She was also intelligent and witty! It was this trait of hers that saved her husband's life. Like scores of other parents, hers too wanted to find a suitable life partner for her! :-)) But she expressed her desire to choose a life partner for herself. So, she along with some of her friends set out on a chariot in her search. She visited many places but at last gave away her heart to the handsome Satyavan (सत्यवान / சத்யவான் / సత్యవాన్ / സത്യവാൻ )!
Her parents were disappointed to learn that she has chosen a hermit to marry! But further enquiries revealed that Satyavan, who was living with his parents in a humble hut in the forest was a prince and his father, King Dyumatsena, had lost his kingdom in a battle! Hence they half heartedly gave away their darling daughter in marriage to Satyavan! But Satyavan was not destined to live long. When Savitri came to know of this, she didn't run away but with her strong determination and beautiful heart, she became Satyavan's better half. She believed that it is not quantity, rather the quality of time she'd spend with her husband.
But as days went by, her heart grew fond of Satyavan and she thought of ways on regarding how to extend his life! So, she started taking up lots of vrathams and pujas for her husband's well being. And when the day came nearer, she pleaded with Satyavan to not to go to the forest. But, a dutiful son that he was, he said he had to go to provide for his parents and her. Seeing no result with the pleading, Savithri finally set out to the forest with him. Satyvan suddenly fell to the ground complaining of some dizziness and lay down on Savithri's lap. She knew his time had come! She was exasperated! Because of her austerities, she could see Lord Yama (यम / யமன் / యమధర్మరాజు / യമാധർമരാജൻ ) (The God of Death in Hindu mythology) riding his buffalo and with his pasha (Rope). As he bound Satyavan's soul in the Pasha and was about to leave, Savithri started following him!
Normally all humans are bound to Earth and no one can leave the Earth in their physical form, but Savithri could! Lord Yama was shocked beyond words, he asked her to go back to Earth immediately, but Savithri replied that she was simply being a dutiful wife and being Satyavan's better half was following him! Lord Yama explained that she couldn't come as her time had not come and choose a wish for herself. This happened three times and Lord Yama was finally defeated by the witty Savithri and he had to give back Satyavan's life. The three wishes are:
1. Let my Father-in-law's kingdom and vision be restored!
2. Let my parents be blessed with a hundred sons!
3. May I be blessed with a hundred sons!
The third boon did it, in those days, women were married only once and were devout till death and never thought of getting remarried! Hence to grant Savithri's last wish, Lord Yama had no choice but to give her back her husband's life! After this, Savithri and Sathyavan came back only to witness the parent's vision and kingdom being restored! As a token of her gratitude, Savithri performed a puja / worship to Lord Yama, offering him a savoury made of crab eyed beans and un melted butter.
Savithri is nothing short of a Goddess to all Indian women! She is an epitome of strength, devotion and undying faith! :-)))
END!
Now, this vratham / Nonbu is taken up by a married woman to pray for the well being of her husband. It is observed at the exact moment where Magha(Maasi / மாசி in tamil) and Falguna (பங்குனி in Tamil) month meet, i;e one ends and the other starts! On this day, women get up early, take a bath and wear the traditional wear saree (6 yards / 9 yards). Very much like Savithri, they too make a sweet and salty dish prepared with crab eyed beans along with un melted butter!
The underlying philosophy behind the adai and un melted butter is that women should be strong and unrelenting like the un melted butter at times but also display their soft heartedness when needed and not the opposite! This philosophy is something I read in a book many years ago! :-))) Women also tie a yellow coloured thread / Saradu (சரடு in tamil, सूत्रं in Sanskrit) around their neck. One of the elderly women in the family used to get it tied by her husband, the underlying faith being, that it increases the togetherness between spouses! :-)) This year the festival falls on 15th of March, 2015. I'm yet to know the exact time! :-))
All these festivals are observed to revive the old traditions and values which are slowly fading away! Besides, the aforementioned savoury is a healthy one, as it is steamed! Now, I'm not an expert in culinary art, I'm providing a link to the savoury written by my darling little sister, Mira, who has an undying passion for cooking! I'm trying to learn from her and many others like her! :-)))
http://my-hobby-lounge.blogspot.in/2013/03/nonbu-adais-sweet-as-well-as-salt.html
Everyone's friend,
Lakshmi! :-)))
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