Pics: Kartik Studio, BC Road
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Aug 10: This year’s ‘Aati Amavasya (new moon day of Aati month) falls on Tuesday August 10. Customarily, Tuluvas believe that drinking of a brewed concoction made by using the pulp of the bark of ‘Paale tree (Satni Rooku in Konkani, Spirit’s Tree) on this day rids them of the ill-effects of eating different food stuffs during the rainy season, germs in their stomachs and the sins as well.
The people, after having the drink, visit temples, have bath in temple tanks, and offer prayers to the presiding deities. Narahari Parvata near B C Road, Karinjeshwara in Vogga, Bantwal, Kirimanjeshwar near Kundapur etc., are some of the temples visited by the devotees on this day, to pray to the divine for their health and secure future.
It is thought that volatile health conditions from which one suffered from in the past, partly due to changes in climate from rainy season to summer, partly due to the fear of evils, and also partly on account of non-availability of regular food and eating of those available during the rainy season, compelled men to go in search of an antidote for these evils. Our ancestors found that consuming the said concoction during the first three days, during which alone, they believed the Paale tree retained its medicinal properties, provided them relief from the said side-effects.
The drink is very bitter and astringent, and garlic, pepper, cumin seeds etc are used to make this medicine. For collecting Paale barks, elderly men in the families go to thickets in search of Paale trees, and follow procedures that go with this process.