Karadaiyan Nonbu / Savitri Nombu Vratham --- March 14th, 2017!

Karadaiyan Nombu, or Savitri Nonbu Vratham, is a Tamil observance in which a married woman prays for the well being and long life of her husband. Karadaiyan Nombu 2017 date is March 14 and time of breaking of fast and to wear Saradu is between 4:45 PM and 5:15 PM (India Standard Time). In USA, it is on March 14. In Australia, Malaysia and Singapore it is on March 14. 

It is observed on the particular day when the transition between the Tamil months Maasi and Panguni takes place. Karadai is the name of a unique nivedya (holy dish) prepared on this day. Nombu means Vratam or upvasam (fast).

Karadaiyan Nombu is observed in remembrance of the Satyvan – Savitri legend. A princess, Savitri through her unparalleled devotion saved her husband, Satyvan, from the clutches of death. This legend is very popular in India and there are several other observances based on this legend like the Vat Savitri Puja.

Savitri Nonbu Vritham is observed at the exact time when Masi month ends and Panguni begins. 

On the Vratam day married women fast and break the fast by eating the Karadai preparation with butter.

The preparation is known as Karadai nombu adai - the festival takes its name from the unique Kara Adai dish. It is believed that Savitri cooked such a dish and offered it to Lord Yama along with unmelted butter as a sort of thanksgiving for sparing her husband’s life.

Another important ritual is the wearing of the Kaaradai nombu saradu, which is a yellow thread, around the neck.

Please refer to the Mantras in the above flyer/

Thanks to Deepa Karthik for sharing this with us. Source of details of the Nonbu is www.hindu-blog.com. Nonbu picture is from the internet.

Here is a Bonus:

"It is your duty to perform Karadayan Nombu and take Adai Prasadam!"

Kanchi Mahaperiyava is for dharmaswarupam, simplicity. From Him we can learn the nuances of dharma sastram. This was the experience of the Pollachi Jayam Patti. During Masi/Panguni, Karadayan nombu will be done by ladies. The timing of the nombu depends upon the birth of the tamil month. Sometimes the month time will come late. So ladies will be ‘madi’, in full purity, for performing the nombu.

For Pollachi Jayam Patti, everything is Periyava. So she decided to perform the karadaiyan nombu where Periyava was camping. She had also planned to prepare some delicious 'adais' and distribute to kaingarya devotees. As kaingarya devotees were also known to this woman devotee, Pollachi Jayam Patti prepared the dish and invited all the kaingariya devotees for taking of ‘adais'.

After performing the nombu, she was waiting for the arrival of kaingarya devotees but they did not turn up! So Pollachi Jayam Patti was full of 'thapam', sadness and was before Periyava. The kaingariya devotees told Patti that Periyava never gave permission to visit the place and partake the ‘adais'! Pollachi Jayam mami felt very despondent as she had prepared the dishes with so much earnestess and with full ‘madi' ie with fullest of purity.

When she was before Periyava, He asked her, "What day is today?” She replied it was Sunday. On He said, "On Sundays, as per sastras, we are not supposed to take after sunset".

As Periyava had said that we must not take food after sunset on Sundays, Jayam Patti felt that she did the wrong thing as she had taken the Adai prasadam after performing the karadaiyan nombu.

Periyava said, "It is your duty to perform Nombu and take food. So you have not violated the sastras. So there is no pavam sin to you!"

After that Patti was satisfied with Periyava’s reply. Thus Periyava observed nuances of sastras and also took care to see that His devotees followed the sastras. That is why He is our Acharya!

*****

Translation of Shri Ganesa Sharma's talk by Shri Cuddalore Jayaraman.

What a beautiful incident.

A very blessed Karadayan Nonbu to everyone!