Happy Thiruvathira

It is a Hindu festival celebrated  in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In Tamil Nadu it is celebrated  as the sacred big wave at the Nataraja temple to commemorate the cosmic dance.

In Kerala Thiruvathira is considered the nakshatra of Shiva and today celebrates the union of Shiva and Parvati at the end of her long penance. Women perform a dance called the Thiruvathira kali.

The prasad is Kali ( made of roasted and powdered  rice and jaggery).

It is accompanied by the seven vegetable kootu in Kerala( kavathu or greater yam being an important component)

In Tamil Nadu it is the thalagam kuzhambu( again seven vegetables with special roasted masala, tamarind and jaggery.

At my parental home it is the kootu while at my place we make the thalagam since father in law originates from Coimbatore.