Here is a simple lunch menu with Thiruvathirai special sambar and kali that we usually make for the auspicious Thiruvathirai day!
Check the recipe links and details below.
When I decided to share a festive special lunch menu, I decided not to pick the famous festivals. But I picked the small occasions that we usually celebrate in our household.
Growing up in Periyakulam, we had many local festivals in the temple, and we even get days off for those.
The popular ones are Punguni Uthram, Mariammam Thiruvizha, Chithirai/Azhagar festival. Gone are those days, and I wish the kiddo can experience those festivals.
Anyways I got sidetracked, and let’s get to this Thiruvathirai lunch menu.
This is another lunch menu without any onion or garlic, and we mandatorily prepare the kootu and kali. The Thiruvathirai sambar is known by different names like Thiruvathirai kootu, seven kari kootu, or even thalagam.
Thiruvathirai-
Thiruvathira or Thiruvathirai or Arudra Darisanam is a popular event celebrated in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It usually falls in the Pournami / full moon day of December-January / the Tamil month margazhi.
I am not sure how they celebrate in Kerala. It’s a significant event/festival in all the Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu, and a lot of abishekams and rituals will occur.
Thiruvathirai Kali & Sambar-
As I mentioned in my Thiruvathirai sambar post, Lord Shiva whole-heartedly accepted the offering made by one of the Nayanmars.
He made a simple sweet pudding with rice and lentils, the Kali, mixed vegetable curry, the kari kootu, or the thalagam. So kali and seven kari kootu or the sambar became the food menu / neivediyam for Thiruvadirai.
Thiruvathirai Lunch Menu-
Ok, back to the lunch menu. Let me share what I have on the plate. Along with the sambar and kali, I have arbi roast, rasam, purple cabbage gravy, yogurt rice with pickle, and steamed rice with plain toor dal and ghee.
PS – I don’t have arbi roast on my blog yet. All the other links are below.
PS: Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more gardening and recipe updates. If you try these Thiruvathirai recipes, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it asap. Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas!
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#116
You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!Click here to enter
This lunch menu looks a wonderful and a delicious spread. Love each and every thing in this. Yum.
Thanks Renu.
Your posts this week Kind of reminds me of the festival section on “Samaithu paar” book :-) . It’s nice that you are concentrating on lesser known festivals, it’s easy to find that on the internet. These are more difficult to find.
Thanks Rajani. :-)
I have heard of this festival but no clue about the history or rituals attached to it. But the menu looks fantastic and very filling.
Yeah, it’s a local one. :-) Thanks Harini.
Blogging always gives us opportunity to learn about lot of different customs and traditions followed. I have heard a lot about thiruvathirai festival and this lunch menu looks so inviting and love the color of the kali.
Thanks da. True about blogging. We learn a lot naa. And the color because of the brown jaggery :-)
I know the name of this festival, thanks to blogging but have no idea why it is celebrated. However I like everything in your plate and am sure that I would enjoy everything if I had that thaali in front of me. :)
The reason behind this festival differs in TN and Kerala. They usually say its the Arudra Darisanam day. I will check with my grandma and update. :-)
It is wonderful you are showcasing lesser known festivals and the lunch menu Srividhya…even I don’t know some of the festivals you are referring to…this Thiruvathirai lunch menu looks so inviting and well balanced…great job in recording all these..
Thanks a lot Valli.
That’s a lovely Satvik thali . The food looks divine and festive . It is really nice reading about your festivals , I had no idea of them , so thank you so much for sharing .
The festivals are new to me and so are some of the dishes !
Thanks, Vaishali. Glad you liked it. :-)