HINDU RITUAL ON ATTAINMENT OF PUBERTY

CEREMONIAL RITES AT ATTAINMENT OF PUBERTY

On the very day a girl attains puberty, the Uncle on the mother's side pours water three times on her head. And thence she has her bath. The clothes she had worn are to be discarded. For seven or sixteen days she is kept in an isolated place and given gingelly oil, eggs and "patthiam" food.

DAY OF CEREMONY

• Tie nine or eleven Maayillai (Mango Leaves) at the top of the Entrance door.The number must always be an Odd Number.
• A Nirai Kudam is set up at the Entrance to the house.
• Place a head-banana leaf on the floor with the tip of the leaf towards the left when facing the Entrance from inside the house and spread padi/rice on it.
• Fill the Kudam with water and put a ten cent coin in it and place same on top of the spread padi/rice.
• Put the dressed Coconut on top of the Kudam and evenly spread five Mayillai around it.
• Place a Kutthuvillakku on the head-side of the banana leaf if one is used or both sides if two are used.
• Mix Tumeric Powder with a little water to make thick dough to make a Manjal Pillaiyar and stick a few stalks of Arugampull on top and place same at the tip-side of the banana leaf
• Place three Betel Leaves with Arecanuts and two Bananas in front of the Manjal Pillaiyar.Stick five Incense Joss Sticks on one Banana.
• Put a Flower each on top of the Coconut and the Kutthuvillakku.
• Another Nirai Kudam is set up where the Girl/Lady is going to sit during the Ceremony. The pointed end of the head Banana Leaf is to face East or North.
• She sits on a low stool which is covered with a piece of white cloth in front of the "Nirai Kudam" and she preferably faces East.
• In front of her will be a tray with Milk, Arugampull and Coins.
• The Soodam (Camphor) is lit and the Ceremony begins.
• The first person (a Male) collects grass, coins and some milk in the palms of both his hands.
• The placing of the "Pal-aruku" on the head of the Girl/Lady is repeated by an odd number of close relations as Couples.
• The last couple will be the Parents (or Representatives) of the Girl/Lady.
• Aunts/Machals take her for her Bath.
• When the first person (a Male) pours the first pail of Water on her head, a Coconut is cracked again by another Uncle.
• This is again repeated by an odd number of Couples.
• Put Pottu (Santhanam and Kungkumum) for the Kudam (3 positions), Coconut (3 positions) and on the Kutthuvillakku.
• Aunts of the Girl/Lady bring her with a Veil over her head with one (1) roll of three (3) Betel leaves and a whole arecanut in each hand.
• And while he places same on the said Girl's/Lady's head - her maternal Uncle cracks a coconut.
• While the bathing is going on, all the "Nirai Kudam" etc. (NOT the one at the entrance) will have to be removed and cleaned. Similarly the place too is cleaned. And a new "Nirai Kudam" is set up.
• The Girl/Lady has to be dressed up with silk garments and shining jewellery.

THE FINAL CEREMONY TO COUNTERACT EVIL INFLUENCES

The Girl/Lady is brought with a veil over her head and face and she will be carrying a small Sembu having Maayillai and a whole dressed Coconut topping same.She stands in front of the "Nirai Kudam." Crossed garlands are put on her by her Uncle and Aunt.Meanwhile all the Aalaththi items, eleven in number, would have been arranged in sequence and kept in different trays as indicated below:

• a container full of padi with a lighted Kamachchi Villakku sitting on an iron piece (or nail) in the centre of the padi.
• three triangular cone-shaped pieces with Kungkumum pottu.
• made of ulluththamma- 3 lots with Kungkumum pottu.
• cooked rice and vegetarian curries - on one. banana leaf and green beans.
• Pukkai-rice cooked with cow's/coconut milk - only 3 lots with Kungkumum pottu.
• Coconuts-three (dressed)
• Fruits-total to be an odd number (different types)
• Betel leaves and cut-arranged in a round Arecanuts topped tray with a Lemon.
• Palakaram-Indian sweet-meats - (odd no.)
• Loose Flowers-different types
• Paneer Set-containing Panneer, Santhanam and Kungkumum
• Paal Roti-made of coconut milk

(NOT counted rice flour -as one of the three ( odd number of items)

THE FINAL AALATHI

More items too could be added. But the total should always remain an odd number without taking into account the Paal Roti. A roll of white cloth (twisted) to surround all the items or pieces of lace to cover each tray. The actual Ceremony begins now. The Girl's/Lady's veil is pulled back. At the start of the ceremony, a coconut is cracked by an Uncle.

Thence the Aalaththi begins with the first item, viz the Nirai Naazhi, being used for that purpose by two married old ladies. It is passed over the head of the Girl/Lady to be received by two other married ladies after the Aalaththi has been executed. After the Aalaththi of every subsequent item by two married ladies, the said tray is given over the Girl's/Lady's head to be received by two other married ladies who would have stationed themselves to receive same. The last of the odd number of items, viz the Paneer Set, after the Aalaththi, is handed over the head of the Girl/Lady. Paal Roti, the one item that is NOT part of the odd number of items, one is given to be put under the Girl's/Lady's foot and crushed.The remaining two are collected by a single lady, taken around the head of the Girl/Lady three split into four pieces and thrown in the four different directions, viz. East, South, West and North.

Finally an Aalaththi is given using three thiris embedded in three pieces of banana and surrounded by coloured liquid formed of a mixture of tumeric powder, quicklime and water. On extinguishing the flame, the two ladies proceed to place a Pottu on the Girl's/Lady's forehead and the remainder is thrown out . The Aalaththi is the ceremonial of counteracting evil influences which the Girl/Lady is particularly open to at this stage of her life.

NOTE: Every male member participating in this Ceremony must use a "Thalaippa" whenever he takes part in this ceremony.

Alternatively she remains where she is.She is blesssed by her Uncle and Aunt. She is given a tray in place of the Sembu and they give the first gift (made of gold).Thence she is made to sit on a chair.Others bless her and give her presents (preferably made of gold). The Ceremony is over.Meanwhile all the Aalaththi items are collected in a bag including the dress she had worn before her bath and all are thrown away in running water.

INTERESTING OBSERVATION

Aunts on the father's side and the mother's side, blessed with progeny, are the auspicious persons participating in this ceremony designed to avert evil and bring in positive good luck to the Girl/Lady in the life ahead of her. Aunts are handpicked too with an eye to matrimony - aunts with marriageable and eligible sons well suited to the girl in wedlock.

NOTE : If this Ceremony is not done immediately on attainment of puberty, and is done just before the Wedding, then the Bridegroom's people will have to participate.

The maternal Uncle and Aunt carry the "Nirai Naazhi" and the Girl/Lady follows them with the Sembu in her hand to the Altar Room.