Hello bangaru konda,
We are bit more than half way through the pregnancy period. Your Amma is now 20 weeks pregnant. Couple of days back she told me she started feeling some movements inside her stomach, either while she is reciting or sometime during her day. That's a good news considering, she was getting little concerned about it a week back. I also am doing my regular check ups too but somehow you are always in sleepy mode when I do that. Somehow I feel you are able to sense it's me and staying put. I know a trick or two you know, will try doing a surprise visit. Let's see how you will overcome that.
Last week has there's been hub of activity both literally and figuratively. I have more or less spent my time more at office than home, a constant 12+ hours per day. Our project is running at a tight schedule, so had to pitch in my part. On the home front, preparations and planning were on the way for a small gathering to celebrate 5th month by performing small Sreemantham function. Actual plan is to have this at 7th month as your Peddaiah, Peddamma also would be there to partake in it. Your Ammamma though wanted to have one on 5th as she felt it is the most auspicious time and she didn't mind to have it again later. So that's how yesterday's sreemantham came to be.
As per the custom this ritual is done by 5 women related to your Amma either from husbands side or from her end. Our list included - Dadi, Ammamma, Vasundara Avva, Vasantha akka, Sowjanya atha and your Amma's atha Vijaylakshmi. Just out of curiosity on searching google came across wiki page about Sreemantham and it describes what happened yesterday in perfect detail. Here is some portion of it-
Considering we may not be to hold all the 5 variety of sweets by ourselves, we took hold of the tray carrying the sweets and it was taken back. The whole event ended very nicely and everyone had a good time. Here are some pictures of the event -
We are bit more than half way through the pregnancy period. Your Amma is now 20 weeks pregnant. Couple of days back she told me she started feeling some movements inside her stomach, either while she is reciting or sometime during her day. That's a good news considering, she was getting little concerned about it a week back. I also am doing my regular check ups too but somehow you are always in sleepy mode when I do that. Somehow I feel you are able to sense it's me and staying put. I know a trick or two you know, will try doing a surprise visit. Let's see how you will overcome that.
Last week has there's been hub of activity both literally and figuratively. I have more or less spent my time more at office than home, a constant 12+ hours per day. Our project is running at a tight schedule, so had to pitch in my part. On the home front, preparations and planning were on the way for a small gathering to celebrate 5th month by performing small Sreemantham function. Actual plan is to have this at 7th month as your Peddaiah, Peddamma also would be there to partake in it. Your Ammamma though wanted to have one on 5th as she felt it is the most auspicious time and she didn't mind to have it again later. So that's how yesterday's sreemantham came to be.
As per the custom this ritual is done by 5 women related to your Amma either from husbands side or from her end. Our list included - Dadi, Ammamma, Vasundara Avva, Vasantha akka, Sowjanya atha and your Amma's atha Vijaylakshmi. Just out of curiosity on searching google came across wiki page about Sreemantham and it describes what happened yesterday in perfect detail. Here is some portion of it-
Long ago, Seemantham was performed twice: once by the pregnant lady's in-laws and the other time by her parents. These days, it’s all combined into a single elaborate celebration performed by the in-laws and the gifts are brought over by the parents (during the first pregnancy only). The gifts include a saree with two blouse pieces, baskets full of between five and nine kinds of sweet and savory food items and fruits for the pregnant woman, towels/clothes for the man, and clothes for the in-laws. The savory items includeSakinalu and Madugulu; sweet items include Arasalu, Garjalu and Laddulu. The four kinds of fruits include apples, oranges, pomegranates, mosambi, and others, but no bananas. The elaborate lunch or dinner is served by the in-laws.
The pregnant lady and the man are made to sit in chairs facing east. She is anointed with kumkum (vermillion) and gandham (sandal), paspu (turmeric) is offered for mangalyam, and paspu is applied to her feet by her mother. Then she is given a saree and blouse and a string of mallepuvu (jasmine flower), all placed in her saree kongu/wollu. The man is anointed with kumkum and given clothes by the lady's father. Then the in-laws are seated adjacently and also marked with kumkum and given clothes by the lady's parents.
The pregnant lady takes all these gifts, adorns herself, and goes to the Deity and offers a prayer. Meanwhile all ladies present are offered kumkum and paspu. The pregnant lady and the man come back and sit in the chairs. The lady's mother applies kumkum, gandham, and offers paspu for mangalyam. Then she places two green glass bangles on each hand. The mother places four kinds of fruits, five savory and sweets (total of nine items) in her wollu/kongu. Then she blesses her with akshanthalu for safe delivery. The mother then places five varieties of sweet and savory food items in the man's wollu. Then he gets up. Now a little girl/adabidda is made to sit beside the pregnant lady in the chair. Four older ladies perform the same ritual - they offer just one fruit and four savory and sweet items, totaling five items, to the pregnant lady.
The pregnant lady is then given mangala haarthi by these five older ladies and traditional songs are sung. She is assisted in getting up carefully with all the goodies in her wolluintact and taken to the Deity's place where she offers a prayer and places all the goodies (leaving five foods in the wollu) in a tray (these are consumed by the pregnant lady, man and children). Then the lady is fed with sweets and pulihora rice. She returns with her wollu and takes blessings from her in-laws, husband, sister-in-law and parents by touching their feet, with assistance. Then she places the rest of the food items in her wollu with the rest of the goodies near the Deity.
The in-laws will offer kumkum, paspu, flower and thamboolam/ goodie bags to all the lady guests. This consists of betel leaves, betel nut, sweets and a coin (optional)Considering we may not be to hold all the 5 variety of sweets by ourselves, we took hold of the tray carrying the sweets and it was taken back. The whole event ended very nicely and everyone had a good time. Here are some pictures of the event -
That's all for now, little munchkin.
With Love,
Nanna
