Aati – a month of special traditions and practices

Aati – a month of special traditions and practices

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, July 19, 2012: The month of Aati in the Hindu calendar, which coincides with July and August, is characterized by heavy rainfall. It is the time when farmers take rest, having completed their work of sowing seeds in their fields.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aati is very special for the people of Tulunad not only because it rains heavily, but also because it is a month of total rest. No major festival, except Nagara Panchami, is celebrated during Aati. Nagara Panchami is usually celebrated by visiting one’s native place, offering milk to the serpent god, and praying for the souls of departed ones.

One of the most significant days of Aati is Aati Amavasye, the day on which people drink a decoction prepared from the bark of a medicinal tree, which is believed to be rich in antibiotics.
The popular traditions of Aati are Aati Kullunu and Aatida Thammana. Newly married girls visit their parent’s house during this season and theirs husbands’ families, who arrive later to take her back home, are treated to a lavish feast.

Besides, special delicacies are such as Santhani, Uppad Pacchil, Appala, Tevu, Kanile, Kukkuda Mambala, Gonkuda Mambala, Kerengda Balaga, Pacchilda Balaga, Kaatkene, and many more are prepared during this month. Each dish is believed to have special medicinal properties that can either cure or prevent diseases.

Aati Kalenja is a special folk dance, performed to the accompaniment of prayers and pleas to the divine to show mercy on them and prevent diseases caused by mosquitoes and insect bites. It must be remembered that mosquitoes breed during the monsoons and people fall sick often during the rainy season.

Aati and the traditions associated with it are now mostly forgotten, especially in urban areas. A few organizations do hold special ceremonies, but they last only for a day or two. Since the serpent god still has a number of devotees, Nagara Panchami is still widely celebrated.