Goddess of Chickenpox

Here are some spiritual dates in June. Mariamman festival, ending with Pongala is a very special one. Mariamman is considered the goddess of chicken pox...


JUNE:
02 - Ekadasi
06 – New Moon
17 - Mariamman Festival Begins
18 - Ekadasi
22 – Full Moon
26 – Pongala


Pongala: The name 'Pongala' means 'to boil over' and refers to the
ritualistic offering of porridge made of rice, sweet brown molasses,
coconut gratings, nuts and raisins.

The pongala puja is conducted in traditional Tamil style. Women devotees
cook their Pongal Rice and offer it to Goddess Mariamma.

Mariamman:

One of the most popular Goddesses, particularly in the South India. She is
also one of the most popular village goddesses, and just like any other
great goddesses, she is often identified with several names.

Mariamman is also called Mari, Mariamma, Maryamman. In the Puranas she is
known as Marika. In some places, Mariamman is invoked three times a year to
regenerate village soil and protect the community against disease and
death. She is a personification of the world's natural forces. Mariamman
reminds people that their orderly world can be shattered at any time.
Worshipping her makes one's view of reality less fragile.

Festivals may offer boiled rice, fruit, flowers, cakes and sugar. Incense
and camphor are burned. There is a ceremonial washing of the image of
Mariammam with water, oil, milk, coconut milk, turmeric, rose water,
sandalwood, honey, sugar, limes, and a solution of the bark of certain
trees, separately in a regular order. The image of the goddess is carried
on the shoulders of devotees around the village.

She is often associated with disease especially Small Pox, Cholera and
Chicken Pox. She has also been credited with causing and relieving
Tuberculosis. There are two terminologies when associated Mariyamman with
these disease : "Little Mother" and "Big Mother".

There are some who have understood Mariyamman to be another form of Durga
or Kali, but the rituals and mythologies involved are different.



Sweet Pongal Rice for Pongala

Ingredients:

- 1 cup raw rice
- 1/2 cup green gram dhal
- 1 cup milk
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 3 cups jaggery, powdered
- 4 tbsp ghee
- 2 tbsp cashew nuts, chopped
- 2 tbsp raisins
- 5 cardamoms, powdered
- 2 cloves, powdered
- 1 small piece nutmeg, grated or powdered
- A pinch of saffron


Method:

1. Roast dry the green gram dhal for a couple of minutes.
2. Cook the rice and green gram dhal with 2 1/2 cups of water and 1 cup and
set aside.
3. Dissolve the jaggery in 3/4 cup water and cook on a low heat till the
jaggery melts.
4. Strain the jaggery.
5. Put the syrup once more on the heat and stir until it becomes slightly
sticky.
6. Add the cooked rice and dhal.
7. Heat the 4 tbsp ghee.
8. Fry the cashew nuts and raisins and add to the pongal.
9. Add the powdered cardamoms,cloves nutmeg and saffron.
10. Mix well.

Serve hot.

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