காரடையான் நோன்பு

Karadaiyan Nombu (காரடையான் நோன்பு) is kept on the last day of the Tamil month of Maasi, at the moment the sun enters Panguni (Meena sankramana). Married women keep the vow; in some houses unmarried daughters join. The story told is Savitri and Satyavan — a wife who would not let death take her husband. The weight of that story stays; do not turn it into a generic "women's festival." This is the other Tamil women's nombu beside Varalakshmi. Different month, different food, different thread. Iyer and Iyengar houses both keep it; paddhati differs by vathiyar. In 2026 the date is Saturday, 14 March. Some panchangams print the exact sankramana to the minute — break the nombu at that time if the house already does.

Observances

1. Karadai and butter

   Steamed karadai — rice-and-karamani cakes, sweet and savoury — offered with a lump of unmelted butter.

   Steam the cakes together. Children can press the dough into small discs. Keep the butter in the fridge until the plate is ready.

2. Tying the nombu charadu

   A yellow turmeric thread is tied on the neck or wrist after the offering.

   Prepare the threads the night before. One woman ties for the others after the plate is offered.

Getting ready

• Soak karamani; mix rice-flour dough; cut turmeric threads

  food

  1d

• Steam karadai; offer with solid butter at the sankramana; tie the charadu; then eat

  ritual

  0d

In the US

US houses time the offering to the published sankramana in their timezone, or to early morning if the minute falls at work. Frozen karamani and rice flour from an Indian grocer are enough. The yellow thread is the same cotton-and-turmeric as Varalakshmi, tied on a different day.