Narali Poornima, or the full moon night in the Hindu calendar month of Shravan, is a much loved festival celebrated in Maharashtra The Kolis or the local fishermen offer prayers to Lord Vishnu on this day and throw coconuts in the sea as an offering to Lord Varun, and start their new fishing season. Raksha Bandhan falls on a full moon day and therefore, it is the most auspicious day to perform the Shravan Purnima Puja.
In Maharashtra, the day is also celebrated by cooking delicacies incorporating coconut, in the cooking.
One such, very traditional dish, is the Narli Bhat, a sweet rice preparation. My friend Aditi Lele Vaze, is an expert cook and photographer, that is, when she is not being a busy anesthetist; one way or the other, she manages to get people to swoon, at the wonderful stuff.
She prepared and posted this amazing capture of a sort of homecoming of the Narali Bhat (Coconut Rice) .
नारळी पोर्णिमेच्या भरतीच्या
उसळत्या लाटांबरोबर करवनटीबाईंच्या डोळ्यात जणु समुद्राचे पाणी जमले । आपटून, पडून , वेळप्रसंगी पाट्यावर डोकं आपटून घेउन आणि शेवटी तर अगदी ओंजळीत अश्रू गोळा करून विळीवर धरून खरवडून लेकीला सासरी धाडले… आणि आज , सुवर्णाने लेउन , केशरात गुंफलेले दागिने , बेदण्याञ्च्या बुट्ट्यनचि आणि लवंगी काम केलेली बासमती पैठणी नेसून गूळ रावांबरोबर इलैचिचे अत्तर लाउन छोटे छोटे खोबरे घेउन आलेल्या लेकीला बघून, त्यांना अगदी तिला कुठे ठेउ आणि कुठे नाही असे झाले … आणि मग करवनटीबाईंनि पहिल्यांदा तिला मिठीतच घेतले...... |
Crashing starry waves amidst coconut palms on a full moon monsoon night, and a KarwanTee** shell lies wistful tearing up with the salty waters every now and then. A cracking,and banging, occasionally on stone, and she remembers finally the slow but stoic mind shredding on a wiLee, and all the tears collecting to say goodbye in a glass, before the lass left for her in-laws. Today, the lass returns, adorned in gold, jewellery entwined in saffron, and draped in a Basmati Paithani studded with raisin buttas, and streaks of clove, as she walks in , in a cloud of ilaichi fragrance, accompanied by Mr Gool and the little coconut devils. KarwanTeebai wordlessly holds out her arms and encompasses them all to her heart. |
**karwantee : Marathi for half coconut shell (empty)
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