After new year the immediate Hindu festival is Boghi and pongal. But yet there is one more special occasion that is celebrated is Kanu Pandigai(Kanu Pongal). Kanu Pandigai(Kanu Pongal) falls on the same day of Maatu Pongal. On this special Occasion, sisters in the family will pray for the welfare of their brothers. This is a special festival for ladies.
Kanu day is not an auspicious day. In tamil, we call it as “Kari Naal” or “Kanu Peedai“. Early in the morning, elders will take the turmeric and will mark it in forehead and young girls should seek blessings from the elders. Then they have to follow a ritual of “Kanu Pidi” and then take a bath to come out of “Kanu Peedai”. They are not expected to take any food/drinks till they come out of Kanu Peedai.
Kanu Pidi – How and Why ?
In a open place put a kolam in east direction. Wash the turmeric leaves and place it over the kolam. We have to keep upto four rices on the leaves.
White rice prepared on the previous day (pongal day)
Sarkarai pongal prepared on the previous day (pongal day)
Prepare red color rice by mixing small quantity of rice with kumkum.
The same way prepare yellow rice by mixing small quantity of rice with turmeric powder.
Take 4 pieces of sugarcane. Place these colored rice and sugarcane pieces in small quantities in the turmeric leaves placed above the kolam.We have to say the following phrases while keeping the coloured rice in leaves
(* This specific phrase varies from family to family. If you check the comments below form others you will come to know the different variation of this phrase. But the overall concept is same – we are praying for unity within the family)
The detailed phrase given below was provided by Harish (refer the comment section below)
After chanting this we have to break a coconut, place it in a plate having betel leaves and betel seeds along with 2 bananas. We have to show aarthi around the turmeric leaves and we should pray for our brothers.
We have to make sure the rice kept in leaves should be eaten only by crows. On this auspicious occasion we prepare variety rices and ladies should not eat rasam (Don’t know why, but this what we follow in our family and told by my mom 🙂 ). Please find below some of the variety rices for Kanum Pongal.
Kanu Pandigai(Kanu Pongal) Recipes Video
Kanu Pandigai Recipes:
Coconut Rice Recipe | Thengai Sadam Recipe
Lemon Rice
Tamarind Rice
Curd Rice
Aviyal
Sakkarai Pongal
It is also the day for Cattles. Cows are decorated, their horns are painted and turemeric and aarthi are conducted as cow is revered as Mother. In the villages race are conducted for bulls.
Mattu Pongal – Cows are decorated and being worshiped.
For Pongal and Bhogi Festival refer the following links
padma i would like to know why ladies cannot have rasam on this day.even my mom used to say this but i ve not got a valid ans for this.pl enlighten me on this
My assumption is in those days they use to make the rice and go near rivers and have food. So they cannot eventually carry it and use as it’s fllowy and difficult to eat.
hi..im celebrating thala pongal in the US. I want to keeep pidi, im not finding crow here…so give me a suggestion wat can i do that coloured rice( after keeping pidi). Any advice pls?
i live in U.S & i used to keep kakaipidi here but since last year i have stopped keeping since i lost interest ,the first reason is it is too cold outside & 2 nd reason is i dont find any crow. i have been married & living here for past 7 yrs.
In our house, we used to keep 'Kanupudi' and recite "Kanupudi vecchi Kaapudi veccchi- kaakaiki kalyanam-kuruviki upanayanam!"Later we used to give the Kanupudi to a cow. Now-a-days in the city, it is difficult to locate a cow to feed it! anonymous kannada Iyengar.
I live in US too… I'm a Telugu Brahmin, married to an Iyangar… I was taught to say "kanu pidi vecchen, kaka pidi vecchen, kakKum kutivikkum kalyanam". I think these lines got modified, simplified and got changed in each family.
HI, its not necessary to keep only for cows. if we cant find one we can always offer it street animals such as a dog or a cat, etc…. but its a great festival n a great tradition above all as it signifies the unity among not only siblings even relations such as in-laws.. may it spread n prosper.. "KAKA PIDI VECHEN, KANNU PIDI VECHEN, KAKAIKUM KURUVIKKUM KALYANAM" goes the saying in our family.
Therefore, kaka represents our pitrus (forefathers). If we have their blessings with the above 2 lines on kanu pongal our forefathers will bless us n our future generations will prosper..
kanupidi vaichen kakkapidi vachen, en udan piranthan nanna irukkanum is what we say in our house. We also make vazhakkai podi, Thengai Thuvaiyal, or katharikai thuvaiyal and payasam for Kanu pongal but no rasam on that day. We eat the above with karuvadam or appalams
In our house we say "KAAKAI PIDI VECHEN, KANU PIDI VECHEN,KAKKAIGALUKKELLAM KALYANAM KALYANAM, KURUVIGALUKKELLAM SEEMANDHAM SEEMANDHAM". Here it is different….. Which is right?
my mother used to say that" kakkakalellam thammil thammil nalla sneham ullathakkum, athinaley akkum oru kakkai chethuponalum matte kakkakalellam ankey irunthu ka ka ennu chollli kathikkinde irukkum. antha samayam namm antha vazhiye ponal namme kothum, nammal akkum antha kakkaye konnom ennu ninachukkindu" also we have not seen such a thing in any other birds
ohh…we chant as "KAAKA PUDI VECHAN, KANNU PIDI VECHAN, KAAKA'VUM KURUVI'UM POLA SANDHOSHAMA IRUKANUM. my granny told crow and sparrow are like brother n sister so we shud pray like that. This is my thala pongal. Feeling excited 🙂
For red rice, we use to make by turmeric(pachai manjal) and chunam. it'll give red color.Additional wordings our mother told is kuda pirandavan vazha purandham vazha and Kannana enn kanavan pallandu vazhka.
Sorry the words to be said while keepint the rice for Crows on Kanu Pandigai are wrong……..the right lines are Take some rice in hand and make into round form and then "Kaka pudi kannu pudi kakak ellam kalyanam(twice) Un Kootum Kalayama erukara madri en kootumum kalayama irukkanam."
Its wrongly written above saying""Kakaipidi vachen Kannupidi vachen, Kakka Kootam Kalanchalum Enga Kootam Kalayama Irukkanum"*
Hi, Its again the custom based. North Arcot, Tirunelveli follow this custom of taking bath after keeping kannu pidi. Tanjavore women take a bath after keeping kanu pidi
Iyers keep kanupidi and take oil bath and go to their mothers house for lunch. Iyengars keep kanupidi after taking bath. They keep kanupidi in their inlaws house and in their mothers house also. Iyers used to say kanucharu koodathu that means on that day puli karaikkakoodadhu, so all of us used to prepare pulikachal on bhogi oar on ponga
There are some lines that our elders recite while teetifying manajal on our forehead (nose) – what was that – i am forgetting it…. Also my mother used to say that after keeping the kanu pidi, you should not turn back and see – and should walk away straight into the house – i wonder why?
i need a small clarification. the kaka pidi is kept from left to right. but if by mistake if someone keeps from right to left is it a mistake. Can anyone reply on this.
I have posted the Kanupidi song lyrics which i received in tamil yesterday. As many of our group members couldn’t read tamil, i have converted the tamil wordings into english for those who are unable to read tamil. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Kanu pongal song :-
Dedicated to all ladies in the group
This is a great site. We should all ensure that we follow this tradition even those in the USA. If its too cold keep it inside the house and then move it out later. If its possible feed some pets with it otherwise trash it. But the prayer we say when we keep the kana pedai and remembering our forefathers and praying for the extended family is most important. I’ve been in USA for decades. Would like to see all the younger generations follow our traditions
Thank you Sowmya and Subbulakshmi Mami for doing your work with your blog. Helps me a lot during festivals and following traditions. I have been living in the US for past 8 years and I live in the Midwest region. So it gets really cold during this time of the year here . And agree with others that there are no crows here. But I still try to perform Kanu as best as I can . I keep Kanu in my balcony facing the sun wearing all the winter clothes, as quickly as I can. If it is snowy and icy, then I keep it inside the house in a paper plate or paper banana leaf and then place it outside. That’s the best way I can😄.
Traditionally Rasam is not made today, as it’s a belief that as the rasam runs and separates, the siblings will also get separated. Again it is just a belief and you can take it with a pinch of salt – I meant the tradition not the rasam!
I live in Sydney Australia.
Here also it is very hard to get crows to eat.
So after doing the Kanu and showing the kalpuram I wait to see if any birds come to eat. There are other birds here, but they just fly over.
So after few hours I take it to the bay[ we live in a bay] I feed it to sea gulls and ducks. They eat the food happily.
We need to adjust the customs according to the place we live. Even in Texas we don’t get any crows. Atleast we follow the custom to the extent its possible. I guess thats more important to take the traditions to next generation. 🙏🙏
Hi mam, one doubt.. In my mother’s place on kanu pongal day we don’t eat or even touch the previous days food. We keep everything for kaakka. Whatever is cooked the previous day/pongal day is discarded. Whereas in my mother in laws place, they insist on having the previous days pongal and with the remaining white rice they make curd rice. I just am curious how everyone follows. Does it depend on region.
Also in mils place even boys take head bath to kazhichify kanu peedai.
In my mom’s and mil’s side both consume previous day pongal and white rice so i use some rice for kanu and reserve atleast 1/2 cup for curd rice. Each family tradition is different. finally its all down to what our in-laws custom is 😊🙏
Good site indeed !!
Is it "Kakaipidi vachen Kannupidi vachen Kakaikellam Kalyanam" or "Kakaipidi vachen Kannupidi vachen, Kakka kuutam kalienchalum, enka koottam kalayama irukkenum" ?
It is Kakaipidi vachen Kannupidi vachen Kakum , kuruvikum kalyanam…..thats how our patti thaught us 🙂 🙂
Hi, I checked with my sister too. Yes, you are right. The below one is right. Thanks for the clarification. I will update in my post.
"Kakaipidi vachen Kannupidi vachen, Kakka kuutam kalienchalum, enka koottam kalayama irukkenum" ?
OH no! We were taught (this is 4th generation in New Delhi doing it faithfully) – kakaikella kalyanam, kurivikum kalyanam!"
Thanks! SO cool that others are doing this and remembering it. I NOW live in the US and am doing it…not a crow in sight..breaks my heart.
padma
i would like to know why ladies cannot have rasam on this day.even my mom used to say this but i ve not got a valid ans for this.pl enlighten me on this
My assumption is in those days they use to make the rice and go near rivers and have food. So they cannot eventually carry it and use as it’s fllowy and difficult to eat.
Yes that is true.
hi..im celebrating thala pongal in the US. I want to keeep pidi, im not finding crow here…so give me a suggestion wat can i do that coloured rice( after keeping pidi). Any advice pls?
come back to India.. if it is so important…Jus kidding…
i live in U.S & i used to keep kakaipidi here but since last year i have stopped keeping since i lost interest ,the first reason is it is too cold outside & 2 nd reason is i dont find any crow. i have been married & living here for past 7 yrs.
In our house, we used to keep 'Kanupudi' and recite "Kanupudi vecchi Kaapudi veccchi- kaakaiki kalyanam-kuruviki upanayanam!"Later we used to give the Kanupudi to a cow. Now-a-days in the city, it is difficult to locate a cow to feed it! anonymous kannada Iyengar.
I live in US too… I'm a Telugu Brahmin, married to an Iyangar… I was taught to say "kanu pidi vecchen, kaka pidi vecchen, kakKum kutivikkum kalyanam". I think these lines got modified, simplified and got changed in each family.
I put it out for a day and trash it… What to do.
Iyengars say that because it is not Kari Naal for them. It is still a celebration.
HI, its not necessary to keep only for cows. if we cant find one we can always offer it street animals such as a dog or a cat, etc…. but its a great festival n a great tradition above all as it signifies the unity among not only siblings even relations such as in-laws.. may it spread n prosper.. "KAKA PIDI VECHEN, KANNU PIDI VECHEN, KAKAIKUM KURUVIKKUM KALYANAM" goes the saying in our family.
I forgot to add the most important line, "KAKA VAZHA KAKA PORANDHAAM VAZHA, NAA VAZHA EN PORANDHAM VAZHA"
Therefore, kaka represents our pitrus (forefathers). If we have their blessings with the above 2 lines on kanu pongal our forefathers will bless us n our future generations will prosper..
kanupidi vaichen kakkapidi vachen, en udan piranthan nanna irukkanum is what we say in our house.
We also make vazhakkai podi, Thengai Thuvaiyal, or katharikai thuvaiyal and payasam for Kanu pongal but no rasam on that day. We eat the above with karuvadam or appalams
Can anyone say why rasam is not made on Keanu day?.Additionally brothers you are supposed to give gifts to your sisters.Do not forget it
In our house we say "KAAKAI PIDI VECHEN, KANU PIDI VECHEN,KAKKAIGALUKKELLAM KALYANAM KALYANAM, KURUVIGALUKKELLAM SEEMANDHAM SEEMANDHAM". Here it is different….. Which is right?
Can you post a recipe for coriander chutney with tomatoes and lasun
my mother used to say that" kakkakalellam thammil thammil nalla sneham ullathakkum, athinaley akkum oru kakkai chethuponalum matte kakkakalellam ankey irunthu ka ka ennu chollli kathikkinde irukkum. antha samayam namm antha vazhiye ponal namme kothum, nammal akkum antha kakkaye konnom ennu ninachukkindu"
also we have not seen such a thing in any other birds
Hi mami,
All your posting are simply super.
Thank you.
ohh…we chant as "KAAKA PUDI VECHAN, KANNU PIDI VECHAN, KAAKA'VUM KURUVI'UM POLA SANDHOSHAMA IRUKANUM. my granny told crow and sparrow are like brother n sister so we shud pray like that. This is my thala pongal. Feeling excited 🙂
For red rice, we use to make by turmeric(pachai manjal) and chunam. it'll give red color.Additional wordings our mother told is kuda pirandavan vazha purandham vazha and Kannana enn kanavan pallandu vazhka.
We chant Kaka Pidi vechain Kanu pidi vechain Kaka Kootum Kalainthalum En Kootum Kalaiyama Irrukkunam Endru we pray to god
kaka pidi vechen, kanu pidi vechen, kaka vazha, kanu vazha, ponnu vazha, pirandan vazha,pukkan vazha,neeyum vazha,naanum vazha is what we pray to god.
Sorry the words to be said while keepint the rice for Crows on Kanu Pandigai are wrong……..the right lines are
Take some rice in hand and make into round form and then "Kaka pudi kannu pudi kakak ellam kalyanam(twice)
Un Kootum Kalayama erukara madri en kootumum kalayama irukkanam."
Its wrongly written above saying""Kakaipidi vachen Kannupidi vachen, Kakka Kootam Kalanchalum Enga Kootam Kalayama Irukkanum"*
Do we have to take bath after keeping kannu pidi. Since we keep pidi after taking bath only..
Hi, Its again the custom based. North Arcot, Tirunelveli follow this custom of taking bath after keeping kannu pidi. Tanjavore women take a bath after keeping kanu pidi
Yes we keep kannu Padi and then take head bath. Only then have coffee
Awesome. Thanks.
Iyers keep kanupidi and take oil bath and go to their mothers house for lunch. Iyengars keep kanupidi after taking bath. They keep kanupidi in their inlaws house and in their mothers house also. Iyers used to say kanucharu koodathu that means on that day puli karaikkakoodadhu, so all of us used to prepare pulikachal on bhogi oar on ponga
We say it as "Kakaipidi vachen Kannupidi vachen, Kakka k ellam kalyanam, kurvi k ellam simandam"
There are some lines that our elders recite while teetifying manajal on our forehead (nose) – what was that – i am forgetting it….
Also my mother used to say that after keeping the kanu pidi, you should not turn back and see – and should walk away straight into the house – i wonder why?
hi
i need a small clarification. the kaka pidi is kept from left to right. but if by mistake if someone keeps from right to left is it a mistake. Can anyone reply on this.
I have posted the Kanupidi song lyrics which i received in tamil yesterday. As many of our group members couldn’t read tamil, i have converted the tamil wordings into english for those who are unable to read tamil. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Kanu pongal song :-
Dedicated to all ladies in the group
Kaakaipidi vechen kanupidi vechen
Kanupidiyum kakkaipidiyum kalandhu nanum vechen
Paarthu vechen parappi vechen
Pachai ilayil nirappi vechen
Manjal ilaiyai virichu vechen
Magizhchi ponga pirichu vechen
Kaakaikum kuruvikkum kalyanam nu solli vechen
Niram nirama saadham vechen
Karimbu thundum kalandhu vechen
Vakai vakaiya saadham vechen
Vaazhai pazhamum serndhu vechen
Annan thambi kudumbamellam
Amoghamai vaazha azhagha vechen
Inippu pulippu thenkai saadham
Inpamai naanum eduthu vechen
Ellu saadham elumichai saadham
Ekanthamai naanum vechen
Kootu poriyal aviyal vechen
Kootu kudumbamai vaazha vechen
Dhoopa deepam kaati vechen
Thooya manathodu naanum vechen
Karpooram eathi vechen
Kadavulai vanangi vechen
Aarathi eduthu vechen
Aandavanai vendi vechen
Kanupidi vechen kaakai pidi vechen
Kanupidiyum kaakaipidiyum kalandhu naanum vechen
Kaakaikootam pola engal kootamum piriyaathirikka nan vechen
Many Thanks Harish.
Thanks first time I heard full some
Song
Thank harish for the detailed verse. This is the first time i am hearing the full
song. God bless.
Thank you for reminding me of the forgotten lines.
You are welcome
This is a great site. We should all ensure that we follow this tradition even those in the USA. If its too cold keep it inside the house and then move it out later. If its possible feed some pets with it otherwise trash it. But the prayer we say when we keep the kana pedai and remembering our forefathers and praying for the extended family is most important. I’ve been in USA for decades. Would like to see all the younger generations follow our traditions
Thanks Indumathi. Well said.
Thank you Sowmya and Subbulakshmi Mami for doing your work with your blog. Helps me a lot during festivals and following traditions. I have been living in the US for past 8 years and I live in the Midwest region. So it gets really cold during this time of the year here . And agree with others that there are no crows here. But I still try to perform Kanu as best as I can . I keep Kanu in my balcony facing the sun wearing all the winter clothes, as quickly as I can. If it is snowy and icy, then I keep it inside the house in a paper plate or paper banana leaf and then place it outside. That’s the best way I can😄.
So True. Thanks for taking time to share your comments. Today I did exactly like you said. indoors due to bad weather
Thanks first time I heard full some
Song
Glad to hear
Traditionally Rasam is not made today, as it’s a belief that as the rasam runs and separates, the siblings will also get separated. Again it is just a belief and you can take it with a pinch of salt – I meant the tradition not the rasam!
I live in Sydney Australia.
Here also it is very hard to get crows to eat.
So after doing the Kanu and showing the kalpuram I wait to see if any birds come to eat. There are other birds here, but they just fly over.
So after few hours I take it to the bay[ we live in a bay] I feed it to sea gulls and ducks. They eat the food happily.
We need to adjust the customs according to the place we live. Even in Texas we don’t get any crows. Atleast we follow the custom to the extent its possible. I guess thats more important to take the traditions to next generation. 🙏🙏
Hi mam, one doubt.. In my mother’s place on kanu pongal day we don’t eat or even touch the previous days food. We keep everything for kaakka. Whatever is cooked the previous day/pongal day is discarded. Whereas in my mother in laws place, they insist on having the previous days pongal and with the remaining white rice they make curd rice. I just am curious how everyone follows. Does it depend on region.
Also in mils place even boys take head bath to kazhichify kanu peedai.
In my mom’s and mil’s side both consume previous day pongal and white rice so i use some rice for kanu and reserve atleast 1/2 cup for curd rice. Each family tradition is different. finally its all down to what our in-laws custom is 😊🙏