KUMAR PURNIMA

Content credit : Sai Priya

As the beautiful full moon appears in the sky, unmarried girls in joyous mood start singing the folk song .....

"Kuaanra Punei Jahna Go Phula Baula Beni,

Kuanri Jhianka Apurva Ananda

Puchi Khelibaku Mana Go Phula Baula beni…"

And this happen only on the day of Kuaanra Purnima, the autumn festival which is one of the most popular and important festival of Odisha. 'Kumar' or 'Kartikeya', the handsome Son of Shiva was born on this day. So the unmarried girls worship Sun and Moon seeking a handsome young husband. Also in villages it's a saying the sooner you see the moon the more younger and handsome your husband will be.

So Girls on this day start their day doing ‘Janhi Osa’ in the early morning, offering Sun with 7 type of flowers and palmful of ‘khae’ with ‘janhi’, banana, coconut, betel nut etc.These offerings is termed as "Anjuli".
After this they wait till evening for the Moon to rise. The main activity during the day time is playing a local game called "Puchi".

The full moon is the center of attraction in this festival. Girls raise the ‘Chanda chakata’ and pray to the moon. The moon is also synonymous to a handsome husband that the girls are seeking for themselves. It is the main attraction of this festival and in villages they held competition too..

In the evening Girls prepare a bhog called ‘Chanda chakata’ which is mixture of ‘khaee’, jaggery, banana, coconut, ginger, sugarcane, cucumber, ghee, honey and cow milk.There is a particular way to serve that too. So on a winnowing fan (kula) they place this mixture in a half-moon shape form and offer to the Moon God asking a blessing for a handsome and attractive Husband like Kartikeya.

Odia celebration is always incomplete without pithas , khira Gaintha is a must. While Manda Pitha, chakuli are a regular affair on festive season in Odisha.

Here the recipe for "Manda Pitha"

INGREDIENTS

For the Dough

2 cup Rice Flour
1 cup Water - + 2 tbs
1/2 tsp Salt For Stuffing
1 cup Coconut grated
1/2 cup Jaggery powder
1/2 cup Roasted peanut
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Black pepper powder


STEPS

• Boil 2 cup water in a heavy bottomed pan.Take 2 tbs water in a bowl,add 1 tsp rice powder to it and make a thick solution. Add this solution to boiling water.
• Let the water come to boiling point. Then add salt,remaining  rice flour at once and stir it continuously at medium flame for 3-4 min. Switch off the flame and cover the pan with a lid.
• Let it sit for 10 minute.Once cooled,Start kneading the mixture to form a dough.It should be soft . Make small balls like chapati ball.
• Take a ball and press with your finger tip at center and make a hole into it to pour the filling. Stuff the balls with prepared coconut mixture .Close it properly with wet fingers and give shape as you like.
• After that cook those balls in a steamer for 15-20 minute.

Cool and enjoy them as it is.