Please Note: This is not a travel blog. This is about a community event.

Eluthingal Pandal
(எழுதிங்கள் சீர் பந்தல்)

(This pic is from internet)

🧺🧺🧺Eluthingal Seeru🧺🧺🧺

This ceremony is done for the Sumangali women who is approaching middle age in the Kongu Vellalar Gounder community.

There are certain ceremony done for the women before reaching this stage.

💁💁Pre-requisite💁💁

1. For certain kullam/kootam it is required to remove the inauspiciousness before eluthingal seeru (எலுதிங்கள் சீர்). It is called Irul Kazhikarathu (இருள் கழிக்கரது)

2. Ponga Seeru should be done before Eluthingal Seeru.

3. All the expenses are borne by the parents of the girl.

👀👀Reasons👀👀

1. Empowerment of women in the community. Middle age is a time when a woman becomes more mature, and her household responsibilities decrease as her children become independent and leave home.

2. According to the procedure done here, it provides shakti or cleansing process where women can do pooja for the deities. However, this is only told my Arumaikaarar(அருமைக்காரர்). I have no personal reference to this.

3. She is invited to all the ceremonies especially auspicious ones to assist Arumaikaarar in all the activities. All the Kongu ceremonies need one Arumaikaarar, one or two Eluthingal Seerukaara amma and 2 or more Sakaraikattis (சக்கரைகட்டி) or Naavithan (நாவிதன்)

4. In the Kongu marraiges there are is no invoking of Agni (Fire), no mantras, no brahmanas. All the mangala vaazhthu are in Tamil written by Kambar (Author of Kamba Ramayanam) specific for this community. So the above mentioned people are required to conduct the festival.

5. I asked my grandmother about this tradition in her time. She is 87 years old in 2025. She told me that once a woman received this Seeru, she could not refuse any invitation. In fact, she was expected to provide all necessary items for weddings, including a saree and mangal sutra for the newlywed bride. In those days, many people could not afford these items, so they would borrow them and later return them to the Seerukara Amma.

6. The Seerukara Amma(சீருக்கர அம்மா) is also the most respected woman in the society.

7. In the Kongu tradition, daughters receive movable property—such as furniture, jewelry, and vessels—from their parents, while sons inherit immovable property, like land. By this stage, the parents are aging and begin dividing their assets. During the Seeru ceremony, they gift their daughter jewelry or cash according to their wishes, marking it as the final gift they give her.

8. This Seeru is a two step process

i) Parents place actual Seeru is done

ii) In a wedding she assists the Arumaikaarar and follows the rituals there or an alternate option is to give bath to the neem tree during this function (vembarasanukku thanni ootruthal)

The process is complete after visiting Lord Shiva temple and eating Sandavai dish.

Both the process can be done at the same day if there is a gap then seerukara amma needs to follow some vrta like sleeping on the mat, not eating outside, keep kumkum everyday.

Important persons for this Seeru

1. Brother and Brother's wife

2. Parents

3. In-Laws

4. Pangali

5. One Eluthingal Seerukaara amma

6. One girl baby.

Steps for this Seeru:

1. The girl goes to her brothers house and informs them about this seeru and fixes a date with them.

2. Then she goes to parents house and confirms the date and start making arrangements with the parents.

3. Invite Arumaikaarar with vethalai paakku for the event.

4. Procure the list of things required for the Seeru. These are mostly traditional things used to be available at home in those days.

Some 75 to 150 people inviting is quiet common and the simpler version is invite only required people and do the vembarasan thanni option.

The day of the event:

The Seerukaari has to fast from grains and salt. Dry fast is advised otherwise water, tender coconut is good to take.

Proud Ammaie. She is very happy that I am getting this Seeru because in her area only a couple women get this seeru according to the seniority.

Welcoming the guests(வரவேற்பு)

Eluthingal Seeru Manvarai(சீரு மனவரை )

Karai kattuvathu (கரை கட்டுவது) by senior eluthingal seerukaaramma

Paala Kaal Nadarathu (பால கால் நடுவது ). This is from Arasa maram, inviting the King to witness the event.

After paalakaal event, senchooru (red color rice) suttruthal செஞ்சோறு சுற்றுதல் for removing and evil eye and bathing and shower in saruvu satti.

After this ceremony the seerukaari have to wear the saree given by the dobhi. She has to walk on the cloth carpet put by the dobhi (வண்ணான் )

Puliya Maaru aakai (புளிய மாறு ஆக்கை )

Oru Sandhi vidarathu ஒரு சந்தி விடறது(Fast breaking)

Kulavi Thookuthal (குளவி தூக்குதல்) and kicking the ural

Kodhai maavu (கோதை மாவ) making and cooking

After the Kodhai maavu goes for cooking, the kumkum mixed with sesame oil is left in the front and back of the Seerukaari

Finishing the lunch after that no food for dinner.

Kodhai maavu pilakarathu (கோதை மாவு பிளக்கிறது ).

After this event is done the Seerukaari should leave immediately to her inlaws house from parents place. Brothers family will drop her in her married house. Before reaching home an offering is made to Lord Ganesha (nagam mulikarathu-நகம் முழிக்கறது).

Sakaraikatti is so happy that the jaggery did not melt during the cooking of Kodhai maavu (koodhai maavu is Fox tail millet flour)

Seeru vaanguthal

Gift for Arumaikaarar

Now the second part: The same saree is worn during this time and this is not changed until the marraige ceremony is done.

The completion of the Eluthingal Seeru is done after pouring the water in a marraige. Here just follow the instructions of Arumaikaarar and senior folks. It is required to be there in the beginning of the function till the newly married couple leaves the mandapam.