Monday, November 7, 2011

Rangoli-139

Dwadasi Special

Today is Dwadasi-means 12th day of the month. As per our Hindu Calender, the 12th day of month of Kaartika is celebrated as Chiluku Dwadasi or Ksheerabdi Dwadasi. Ksheera means milk and it is used in the ceremony observed today.


Today we worship Tulasi plant or Indian Basil along with the plant of Gooseberry, Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi. It is a  ceremony which women perform for health prosperity and happiness of the family-starting with . We offer prayers in the morning and again in the evening. Earthenware lamps using ghee (clarified butter) of Cow. Lamps are also lit on Gooseberries. Like  on Diwali day, we light as many lamps as possible and decorate our house and yards.

It is said that on this day Radha Rani observed this ceremony in Brindavan(or Vrindavan or Vraj a place where Lord Krishna spent his child hood) for Lord Krishna
In our homes we must have a Basil Plant in the back yard and every day women of the house offer prayers both morning and evening. It is kept in a specially constructed pot known as Brindavanam or Tulasikota. 
This is the Basil Plant
This how its pot looks. One can draw this free hand design too. Actually 5 Rangolis of lotuses(shown below) has to be drawn in front of this pot. 
My maternal Granny used to celebrate this ceremony with much fervour. There are many traditional Rangolis of Tulasi Kota or Brindavanam-the pot where Tulasi is planted and worshipped.

Here is a simple one:
I have many other complicated Rangolis of the same. But I need to search them.




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