This festival has no reference in our vedic times. This came into practice by way of customs. Last Tuesday, we had organised this festival ( actually, this is a kind of commomration of Sumangalis of one's family at present , they are no more) This is done before any auspicious happenings . My mom had invited her peers(mainly my aunts) to this function.
I was entrusted with compliments department. The compliment list included sarees, "blouse-bits", bangles, bindi stickers(In olden days, kum kum packets and turmeric powder were distributed). A special chudhidaar set was ordered for kanya ponnu(a girl below the age of 10 and one who has not attented puberty).This kanya ponnu came from my neighbhourhood. While performing function, this little girl would be smeared with kum kum and turmeric powder on her hands and legs. All participants would prostrate before the little girl to seek her blessings.In short, she would be the centre of attraction or she would be treated as a manifestation of the presiding goddess.
Like always, I had forgotten to buy adequate number of blouse bits because of unexpected arrival of 2-3 members in addition to the invited members. As always, I entered into a quarrel with my cousin who really made a mountain over the mole hill and she kept harping that blouse bits were indispensable items of compliments. For which I retataliated that blouse bits came into vogue just 120 years ago in those days, women did not wear blouse (to accentuate my point, see oldies (tonsured)pattis never wore a blouse in her lifetime). Moreover, this function was not mentioned in any of our scriptures.For that matter, even applying bindi was not in practice so don't create any scene over blouse issue.
The "coalition" was so strong eventually I had to make a retreat.Who could win a battle when you are being attacked by a "pack" of women. At this juncture, my mom had no option but to side with her folks. That was the first time I was let down by her. To concede my "defeat" I had to rush to the nearby textile shop to buy additional blousebits.
