Puthari is a major harvest festival celebrated in Wayanad (and Coorg) marking the new rice harvest, involving rituals like cutting the first paddy sheaves at night, offering them to deities, and feasting on special dishes like Thambuttu, filled with cultural performances, traditional music, dances (like Theyyam), and community celebrations, thanking nature for abundance. It typically falls in November or December, linked to the sun entering Scorpio.
Key Aspects of Puthari in Wayanad/Coorg:
- Meaning: “Puth” (new) + “Ari” (rice) = new rice.
- Timing: Celebrated when the sun is in Scorpio, usually November/December.
- Rituals: Night Harvest: A torchlight procession to fields to cut the first paddy sheaves at an auspicious time.
- Offerings: New rice offered to family spirits and deities.
- Decorations: Homes decorated, sacred lamps lit.
- Feasting: Grand feasts with dishes like Thambuttu, Kooli Curry, and Kadambuttu.
- Culture: Traditional music, folk songs, and dances (including Theyyam).
- Community: Sharing food, visiting relatives, and gunshots in the air signify joy.