This year, the Narali Pournima and the Rakhee Pournima do not fall on the same day as generally they do. In a way, good it is because each of these days has its own separate significance.
Narali Pournima is a fervent prayer to the sea god, Varuna. Actually, he is the god of all the "Jal tatw", the principle called the water principle, the major one of the five "panch mahabhut" as per the traditional Hindu iconography.
The seas in turmoil due to the turbulent monsoon winds start calming down around, and from, this day. Hence the fishermen community, which had suspended its activities, start resuming these Narali Pournima onwards. There is hence a propitiatory 'puja' of the sea as god.
As my brother Parag, alias Raju, is a Merchant Navy officer, Papa used to offer coconut-flowers, et al, to the sea. In his memory, i, too, offer flowers and coconut, of course, to that nullah called Mula-Mutha.
Personally, I like the concept a lot, too, as a token of one's gratitude to this vast principle which has so abundantly gifted us with all its blessings. Such humility, such caring for its countless benedictions go a long way in our life, I think.
Come to think of it, the sea in a way gives us everything, the monsoon winds, the rains, hence the potable water and the harvest, literally life itself. Greedy species that human beings are, they are scraping the ocean beds!
Given the recent Himalayan warning of the GLOF and/or permafrost variety, rather like the 2013 Kedarnath tragedy or the almost similar situation last year in Chamoli due to a cloud burst and flash floods leading to artificial lakes that can burst and cause havoc any time, it is urgent that we stop fiddling with nature!
Pratima@Keralam at the other end of the Indian map is in the Onam mood though. The Onam tale, too, is a story of goodness, of humility, of an unbreakable bond born out of generosity. The Malyali lovely flower rangoli's and that great veggie called "avial" are simply special. "Avial" has as its ingredients certain veggies one may not otherwise relish. Cooked it is in coconut oil, moreover. Yet the taste of the final product, mixed in curds, is such that one could comfortably finish off some six seven servings, exactly in the Bhima mode who apparently invented the dish in his Ballava avatar!
Quite of the day: "The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.". Agreed, Jacques Yves Cousteau.
Word of the day: iconography Iconography is the use of visual images, symbols, and themes to represent ideas, beliefs, or stories in art and culture.The term comes from Greek words meaning "image" and "to write". It acts as a visual symbol.
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