Tomorrow 17th July 2011 is Karkkidakam 1….
The last month of the year for Hindus of Kerala. Karkkidam was known to be “Panja masam” in the old days. With the torrential rains throughout the month, farming and other such activities were impossible. So the women prepared the house in such a way that no evil force or negative energy from the nature could harm their house and family. The nature itself was in a cleaning spree with non-stop rains.
The previous day of karkkidakam was spent on thorough cleaning, from roof to the floor. All the dirt, dust and cobwebs are collected and kept in the old mat used to clean food grains. {Muram}. The broom used till then is also kept with that. It will be evening when the cleaning process comes to an end. All unwanted things are discarded this day. The unused and dirty things are the negative energy forces. In the evening before dusk, the eldest woman of the house throws the collected things along with the broom and ‘muram’. This is known as Panjam, which means a state of poverty. This is thrown out towards the Northern side. The lady would not utter a word during this process, then she takes a bath. The clean Nilavilakku is then lighted and prayers start as usual.The "Jeshta bhagavathi" is thrown out and the house is ready to welcome Lakshmi to the house.
Lakshmi is present only in a neat place. Though Jeshta is her sister, both will not be present in the same place.
The next day, on karkkidakam first, some rituals start which ends only by the end of the month. Worshiping in temples is a must during this month. Early morning after taking bath someone in the family start reading the Ramayan. This continues to the end of the month and by that time the whole Ramayan would be read. Reading is done aloud to ward off all evil spirits.
10 herbs, all medicinal is collected and kept near the Nilavilakku. This is known as “Dashapushpam. “ The Dashapushpams are….Poovamkurunthal, Mukkutti, Nilappana, Karuka, Vishnu kranthi, Kayyonni, Cherukula, Muyal cheviyan, Uzhinja, and Thiruthali.
On a brass plate near the Nilavilakku, Ashtammangalyam and Dashapushpam with a vessel [valkindi] full of water take place. Dashapushpam is kept for the first 10 days of Karkkidakam. In the morning the women and girls keep it on their hair after bath. Mukkutti out of the 10, is taken and crushed and is used as a bindi, [mukkutti chandu] each day….All female members use kajal in their eyes during these days.
Ashtamangalyam is all 8 adornments used by a woman. The widows were not expected to use them. It is auspicious to have all ashtamangalya things in the pooja room.
A medicinal herbal food, Karkkidaka kanji is prepared for the whole family to ward off rain borne diseases. Ayurveda treatments are most effective during Karkkidakam.
On the new moon day this month, the ancestors are worshipped. All along the river sides Pithru sradham is observed. Karkkidaka vaavu is observed by each and every Hindu Malayali, no matter where they live.
The rishis of Bharat tried to teach man the divinity in nature through these rituals. The old generations tried to pass on this heritage to the younger. Though things have changed with times, many try to follow these rituals as they can.
The torrential rains are no more seen in Kerala during Karkkidakam, waste [panjam] cannot be disposed as per ritual, Dashapushpams are rarely found [though some have started planting them in pots] herbal porridge [kanji] is available in ready to use packets and Ramayanam is heard in recorded voices. Still let us continue our traditional rituals and pass on atleast the memories of our heritage to the coming generations..
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