Yellu
Amavasya, also known as Yell-Amavasya, is observed on the no moon day in
the Margasira month (November – December) in Karnataka and parts of Andhra
Pradesh. Ellu means Sesame or Til and
Amavasya is the no (new) moon day.
Significance:
Ellu Amavasya festival is observed by farmers and is form a ‘thanksgiving to Mother Earth’ for a good harvest.
Observance:
An
important ceremony on Yellu Amavasya day is the spraying of sesame and jaggery in agricultural
lands. There is a belief that the sesame and jaggery are food for the worms in
the farmland.
Some
people also observe pujas dedicated to Lord Shani – especially those who have
trouble with Shani Graha or Saturn in their horoscope.
Special
vegetarian dishes using pulses and green leaves are prepared for the day,
especially by farmers. Some of the dishes prepared include bajje, pundi,
chikki, palak, menthe, rajgiri, bartha, jowar kadubu and sajje kadubu.
All the agricultural laborers gather on the farmland and the food is consumed along with all family members.
Special prayers are also held at rural temples for a better harvest. In cities, people have a picnic to nearby parks and have food together with their family.
An important ritual on Ellamavasya is taking bath in sea or river.
It is said that after the great Mahabharata war, Tarpanas
were given to the dead warriors on Yellu Amavasya day.
Darshan of Balarama at the Vadabhandeshwara Temple at
Malpe in Udupi, taking holy dip in Thunga River at Thirthahalli is considered
highly meritorious.
Shraddha - Tarpana
on Yellu Amavasya:
The general belief is that those people who perform Shraddha, Tila Tarpana, bhojana of poor,
and other daana will be blessed with
peace and prosperity. People also do the pooja of Pitrantaryami Srihari. Pitru devategalu and their antaryami (dead ancestors) will be
blessed and pleased by their descendents on earth observing this day.
Those who do Shraddha on this day will have their sins completely removed.
People also do Samudra snaana or snaana in holy rivers before performing tarpana and shraddha.
