Significance of Sithala Devi pooja

This was the narration by the host of the function Smt. Vidhaya & Shri Kumar in Houston, Texas on February 7,2021.

We belong to Neithravya Kashyapa Gothram and Kuppa Bhattar family from Manarkudi and worshipping Seethala Devi ( maariamman) at home was common then but no one does it now as it involves too much of cooking and prep work. Ammi kuzhavi/ sil batta the rolling stone was invoked as goddess, do abhishekam and Seethala Devi ashtothram, Lakshmi ashtothram and Seethala Ashttakam is recited.

Marigold and oleandar is important for the puja and black color blouse.

Those days they used to give black blouse material to the family member.

Essential naivedhyam is red rice. Those days they used to pound rice fresh and use it. So this why all.stopped it now I guess! I buy rice from Malayala store here.

We perform with Shradha and do with things what's available with us here in US.

Red rice chakra pongal, Annam, lemon rice is the main. Rest regular puja menu. Another main thing is Thullu maavu ( like maa villaku deep) but here the red rice is soaked for few minutes, dried to room Temperature and make semi course powder mix with jaggery and cardamom. And keep as a heap and light the ghee lamp in it. It's the main prasadam.

Other things are lemon, young coconut, sugarcane and neem leaves.

Can be performed few months and I follow annual Thai month Makar month and Sunday's only.

I have hand written by one of our chittappa’s/ chacha who mentioned few other months too.

But we start the year with our kuladeiva Pujai and have been doing for more than 10 years and feel good🙏

It was hard to track down our actual temple and the process of the puja had to do lot of information gathering and finally got it 🙏

Profound gratitude to Smt. Vidhya & Sri Kumar and family to include every one to witness this special function on February 7,2021.

Gratitude to our Guru Sri Satya Sai Baba for showering his blessings on the entire universes.

Samastha Loka Sukhino Bhavanthu ( Let all Beings in all the universes be happy)!!!.

Love All Serve All.