Shri Swarna Gowri Vratha Preparations

Shri Swarna Gowri Vratha or Gowri Habba is celebrated on Thrithya (3rd day) of Badrapada Shukla Maasa. On this day, Sumangalis and Kumaris are suggested to take head bath to purify themselves before offering pooja.
Some of the preparations are listed and briefly described below:

1. Thorana: made from Mango leaves are tied to main doors as well as the pooja room.Banana stems are tied across the mantap.

 

2.Idol for worship :According to the family customs, Arishina Gowri or Mannina Gowri is prepared and placed on a plate filled with Rice along with the clay idol of Gowri(if this custom is followed in homes), Kalasha and Small Ganesha Idol.Gowri pooja is suggested to be performed as early as possible in the morning.

3.Arishina kumkuma Thatte:

Arishina, Kumkuma, Chandra, Bukkihittu, Adike, Karpoora, Mangalarathi bathi, Agarbathi, Hoobathi, 16 Ele's gejjevasthra and hidi.
 

4.Panchamrutha :

In a plate, arrange in small bowls of Milk, Ghee, Curds, Honey and Sugar

5.Flowers/Garike/Pathre
 

6.Naivedya : All kinds of fruits, Huggi, Bele obbattu.(for Bele obbattu recipe click here.)
 

7.Poornapala: Cocunuts

8.Madhuparka: On beetal leaves/Villedele a banana is kept.

9.Upayana dhana: On a plate filled with rice, two coconuts are kept on 2 beetal leaves and nuts with dakhshine. Closed with another plate or banana leaf.
 

10.Turmeric Threads:A thread smeared with arishina and with 16 knots to be prepared for each of the member offering pooja. This thread is knotted with a flower and is kept on 2 beetal leaves and beetal nuts on the right side of Gowri.

 

After pooja, is offered, this thread is tied by elders of the family on the right wrist of women and girls who have performed  pooja.

A fruit with beetal leaves and nuts is given to the hands of the person for whom the thread will be tied and then the thread will be touched on both wrists three times before tying it to the right wrist. Fruit given in the hands shall be placed along with upayanadhana and then given to the Priest or a Brahmin.

 

11.Deeparathi: Nandadeepa, halagarathi, halagarathi bathi,  hoobathi, arathi thatte, 16 deepaarathi is prepared for Gowri.

12.Marada jothe: (for list of items click here)
 

Then marada jothe/baagna is offered to Gowri first and later given to other Sumangalis. When exchanging, Morada jothe is covered by both women/Girls giving and receiving by their saree pallus by saying “Muthaide muthaide Bagina thago, savithri Savithri Bagina Kodu”, it is waved three times across and then it is placed on the ground and fruits with beetal leaves and nuts kept on it is given to the woman first and then marada jothe is opened to show and have to take blessings is seeked from the sumangali.

 

13.Gowri Visarjane: is done on the same day or 3rd/5thor 7th day after checking on the auspicious day.

And then again punaha pooja is done with arishina, kumkuma, Chandra and flowers to Gowri.

 

Until the visarjane day, daily poojas - 16 shodasha upachara has to be done. On visarjane day arishina, kukuma is offered to Sumangali/s and served with rice prasadam.

14. Uppakki: After the pooja, Upakki has to be kept for Gowri, for this Two plates are kept in front of Gowri. In another two bowls, rice and rock salt is taken. Both are taken in different hands and kept like a cross(X) and uttered “ Athe Agne irali, Mavana Agne irali, Gandana Agne irali, Swargakke hodaru Savathi Kaata beda” three times and hands are exchanged and put on the empty plates that is kept in front of Gowri.

Sometimes, Thogari bele/Kadale bele is also used in place of Salt. Upakki is kept before eating lunch and to be kept only by married women.
 

15.Prasada: While Gowri idol is taken for visarjane along with Ganesha idol, a piece of Gejjevasthra is taken as prasadam and tied to mangalasuthra as a blessing from Shri Gowri itself.

16.For Vratha & VrathaKathe Audio, Click here:

Wish you lots of blessings from Shri Gowri.

If you have any pictures related to this post and would like to showcased, please email it to me on anitha.1978@gmail.com.

Marada jothe / Baagina

When we offer prayers to Devis, it is customary to offer Baagina/Marada jothe to Sumangalis.

Below is the list of things to be included in Marada jothe for Swarna Gowri Vratha:

 

1.       Rice (250gms)

2.       Thogari bele (1/2 or ¼ cup)

3.       Kadle bele (1/2 or ¼ cup)

4.       Hesaru bele(1/2 or ¼ cup)

5.       Uddina bele(1/2 or ¼ cup)

6.       Godhi or rave(1/2 or ¼ cup)

7.       Uppu (2-3 Tspsns)

8.       Bella (1 Achu)

9.       Arishina, Kumkuma, Chandra

        (1 packet or small box of each of the above)

10.   Bangles (4 or more)

11.   Bichole (2)

12.   Karimani (1 bunch)

13.   Bachanige/comb – 1

14.   Kannadi/Mirror – 1

15.   Kappina dabbi – Kajal – 1

Beetal leaves(ele), Beetal nut(adike), Dakshine, Thenginakaayi, Blouse piece to be kept along with the Mara.

These days, mostly out side India, since it is difficult to get Marada baagina, we use plastic boxes to keep all of the above. 5 Sets of the same is arranged. This is kept on a wooden plank which is placed over a small rangoli. Normally, it is advised not to keep on the floor directly.

Karagadabu

Ingredients:

For preparing dough:

1 Cup Maida
¼ Cup Chiroti Rave(Thin Rave)
Salt – 1 Pinch
Arishina – 1 Pinch
Ghee – 2 Table spoon

Method:

Add all ingredients make a firm dough using chilled water(Chilled water helps in making karagadabu crispy also karagadabu does not absorb too much oil if we use chilled water).Rest for one hour.

For the Filling:

1 Cup Grated Dry Coconut

¾ Cup Sugar

1 Teaspoon Elaichi powder
1 Teaspoon Gasgase/Khus Khus

Method

Now make small balls from the dough.Flatten using rolling pin and little four, add a spoon of the filling and apply little milk across the edges.

Fold and seal the edges.Heat the oil.

Check the heat by dropping small bit of dough. It should come up slowly. Then the heat is perfect.If it does not come up, then heat it little more. If it comes up quickly and turns brown then oil is overheated.

Fry both sides until it turns golden brown.