In certain regions of the country, tradition is more than just a term. It is intertwined with everyday activities such as cuisine, customs, and behavior patterns, as well as more spiritual interests. Worshipping different deities in various areas of the nation, particularly in Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu, and Karnataka, has been linked to many boons, the most famous of which is the Mahavratam.
This auspicious day generally falls a day before the full moon in August, and there is plenty of information available on how to perform the puja from a variety of sites. The offering of the saree, on the other hand, is an important part of this puja. On this day, Goddess Lakshmi receives a variety of gifts, the most important of which is the kalasam fille.
While you’re still scratching your brain. Here are some easy pointers on how a basic kalasam can assist you with this:
- Prepare the kalasam for the puja by combining uncooked rice, betel nut, five different sorts of leaves, a single entire lime, and coins. Fill into the top.
- You might use an old plastic container and fill it with some type of grains to assist raise the kalasam to a more stable, but higher level, and then try to put the kalasam on top of it – and better yet, ensuring that the kalasam’s base becomes lodged within the container while maintaining its height. Tape it into the container so that it stays in place.
Now it’s time to present the god with the saree and blouse piece. In Telugu, it’s known as ‘oti bharane.’
A red saree with zari, preferably in soft silk, is usually selected since it is easy to fold and drape on the Goddess. For this event, choose a silk saree in deep pink or crimson with a medium to the thin border. The border enables for beautiful, rich pleating in the kalasam.
After you’ve filled the kalasam with the necessary elements, you may start pleating the saree. However, you must now ensure that the kalasam for the saree is also ready! Here’s what you’re supposed to do next.
- If the kalasam is about 4 inches wide, use a stick that is about 10 inches long. Tie this stick to the kalasam’s mouth in such a way that two arms extend outwards.
As you can see in the image above, the arms, which resemble a stick, must be positioned at the back of the kalasam’s mouth for it to be ready for the saree. To guarantee that the stick is firmly bonded and does not slip, use a lot of wire and masking tape.
- Begin creating saree pleats from the inside of the saree and leave enough for the pallu after you’ve reached the desired length.
- Now comes the hard part: pin up the pleats on both ends using thread or a safety pin. Hold the saree and fold it while it is still pleated once they are secure. Make sure it isn’t folded in half; rather, one section should be longer than the other, with the second section overhanging it slightly.
- Tie a thread around the centre section.
- Now open the pleats and check that they surround and cover the base to the top, with the smaller pleats falling in front to create a lovely second layer.
- Take the remaining length of the pallu and pleat it, then take it over the left stick as if it were the shoulder, bring it over the back, still pleated, and over the right stick, where it should fall in tidy little pleats.
It’s also possible to cross it over the front and pin it there. Make sure the pallu completely covers the sticks. Tie it here, as though you’re constructing a waist. The waist will serve as the foundation for the kalasam. Later on, perhaps. In any case, you’ll be adorning it with something, perhaps a necklace that can wrap around the perimeter.
- Most importantly, when the saree has been secured, you can add a separate golden ornamental fabric or a long garland that hangs down from the side, as shown in the image below.
- Make use of a lot of jewellery.
- You must now ensure that the rear of the kalasam is adequately covered, which you may do by pleating the blouse material and covering the rear as well.
- If desired, tie a braid around the kalasam’s neck, which can be embellished with flowers or other metallic clips and adornments.
- You must now add the ‘ammam mukham,’ which can be put on top of or without the coconut on the kalasam.
