For the farmers in Odisha and Karnataka, it’s a time of rejoicing over bountiful cultivation.
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Tula Sankranti 2017 is on Tuesday, October 17, according to the Hindu solar calendar. It is the first day of Kartik month. It is one of the main festivals of Odisha and Karnataka held in celebration of the farmers’ bountiful cultivation.
The festival is also known as Garbhana Sankranti or Cauvery Sankramana. The celebration is like a pregnant woman rejoicing and feeling proud of the growth of her child in her womb. The same way, farmers rejoice when their rice begin to show the ears of corns.
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1. Farmers worship goddess Lakshmi and goddess Parvati and seek their blessings for good crop and protection from natural calamities, every year.
2. The entire family members participate in the rituals of offering prayers and puja to the goddesses.
3. After the offering of prayers, everyone eats rice meal with the hope that there will be abundant food in the future in their homes as well as in their nation.
4. Fresh grains along with wheat grains and branches of Kara plants are offered to goddess Lakshmi
5. Goddess Parvati is offered betel leaves, palm nuts, sandalwood paste along with vermillion paste and bangles. Devotees worship the almighty by sprinkling rice and bowing themselves in front of the idol.
The main purpose of the festival is to prevent feminine and droughts. The festival is observed in different parts of the country in different ways.
In Karnataka, the day is known as Cauvery Sankramana. River Cauvery and its source Tala Cauvery are worshipped.
During Tula Sankranti, the sun transits into Tula Rashi. When the sun enters Tula Rashi, a small fountain known as Brahmakundike on the mountains of Brahmagiri Hills starts filling up the Tala Cauvery.
Devotees gather to collect water from Tala Cauvery. This water is believed to attain salvation if a person drinks it.
In this state, coconut represents goddess Parvati on this festival. It is wrapped with a silk cloth and decorated with garlands. Then, prayers are offered to it. People wear new clothes and the whole family sits together and wish for prosperity in the coming year. Women wear silk sarees and perform puja.
In Odisha, fields of rice, wheat and pulses are measured to avoid scarcity and escalate harvest.
Donations to the needy is also considered to be very auspicious on this Sankranti.
Temples, especially Lakshmi temples, are decorated beautifully and people try to please the goddess with their good deeds so that she can bless them with bright and prosperous future.
On this day, the sun rests of the equator and the length of day and night remains absolutely same. May this joyous day spread happiness in everyone’s life.
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