Ananta Vrata Pooja , rangoli

Ananta Vratha festival

Ananta Vrata is celebrated on the fourteenth day before the full moon day in the month of Bhadrapada ( usually falls between 15th of August and 15th of September ).  

While Jeevthi Pooja is celebrated by a mother for the welfare of her children, Ananta Vrata is celebrated for the welfare of the couple for fourteen years from the year of the marriage .

It performed using a khalasa as we do for Varalakshmi Vratham.  A vessel is filled with water and a red cloth tied around it. 

In some families a snake like shape is made from darba grass and placed inside the vessel.  Two red strings with fourteen knots are placed in pooja. 

  After the Pooja  the strings are tied to the the right shoulder.  This ananta as it is called is preserved till the Puja for the next year. 

 This ritual is continued for fourteen years after which it is completed  for that particular couple.  

This 15 by 15 dot rangoli is Anant Vrat special drawn in some parts of India.  The step by step images are given below

Ananta Vrata Pooja rangoli or Anantha Vratham Puja
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Kheer made from wheat and dosa without fermentation is offered to Ananta Padmanabha.  My mother prepared what is called guloni a side dish for the dosa. Guloni is made from rice and grated coconut.
Rice is fried in ghee and soaked in water. After half an hour grated coconut is added to this rice. Cardamom. powder is also added.  Grind the mixture in a mixer. Boil on a stove for a few minutes.  Add sugar according to your taste.
Dosa without fermentation is by using the flour immediately after grinding without allowing it to ferment.
 Another important offering is sweet dosa.
Maida and wheat flour are taken in the ratio 1:1. For one measure of  maida or wheat flour add three-fourth measure of jaggery. Jaggery is grated and added to water till it soaks well. Filter it to remove stones if present !.
In this solution add the maida and wheat flour mixture , cardamom powder and stir well.  This wet flour is used to make sweet dosa.
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