Avani Avittam

Today is Avani Avittam cum Raksha Bandhan. However, the family I am married into follows Sama Veda, so their sacred thread changing ceremony happens a day after Ganesh Chathurthi. Further my betterhalf is right now in South Africa. But this is what I did today. Morning, I adorned the threshold of the house with a nice "Kolam" out of rice flour and decorated it with "Semmann" which is basically red soil. I adorned myself with some additional jewellery. My cousin brothers had sent me Raakhi wishes on mail. (Gosh I totally forgot it is Raksha Bandhan today till I read that mail!!).

I'll be going to my mom's place this evening. She might have made some sweetmeads. Since my nephew Avinash donned "Kalla poonal" today, it will be a time of rejoicing at home. So that is good!

I wish a lot of family members were at home so that it would have been real fun!!! Previously when my cousins were in Chennai, I used to go to their place with the Raakhi and tie it around their wrists, and they in turn used to give us some gift- once it was a beautiful bangle set, once it was chocolates etc etc.

All these Hindu festivals foster oneness and solidarity in family. I hope we successfully pass on these lovely legacies to posterity, undiluted by the hectic pace of the civilised world.