I was looking for the rituals for performing pondugal and I found a very nice description on indusladies.com http://www.indusladies.com/forums/functions-festivals-rituals/5293-sumangali-prarthanai-and-pondugal-2.html . I could not login into idusladies directly as I forgot my password. However, I would like to than the person who has contributed this elaborate explanation.
The description goes as follows:
Buy a 9 yds saree in silk or cotton. The preferable colours are red, yellow & green. Including the “ pudavai kalam “ there can be 5 or 7 ( odd number)
Girls below 5 yrs & girls who have attained age, but are not yet married, are not allowed to sit. The daughters in law of the house also are not allowed to sit as “ pendukal” – this varies with families.
Daughters of the house & any other married ladies can sit.
For the participating ladies, go to their houses the previous day evening, give them kumkum, haldi, oil, shikakai, vasanai podi & invite them to come.
On the morning of the day, wash the 9 yds saree & a blouse piece with madi (shuddam)after bath & dry.The main person conducting the function should not take an oil bath.
Put a big kalyana kolam in the entrance, put semman & tie “ mavilai”.
For the pudavai kalam – put a square kolam, (padi kolam), over that keep a palakai & put kolam on that.
In front of that, put a kolam to keep the elai. On both sides of the pudavai kalam put kolam for 2 elais , beside for elais facing N, E & next preference W.
Fold the dry saree so that the “ pallu” comes on the top. The corner of the same should face N. Fold the blouse & keep on that. On the saree keep the following:
A small mirror
Oru kavuli ( 100 no:s) vethalai
Plenty of kali paakku
Plenty of urundai manjal
nalangu manjal – (mix of haldi & chunnambu) on a vethalai
12 bananas
10 yds malli, kathambam or roses
Maruthani on a vethalai
A ball of haldi & water on a vethalai
Chullu vella urndai in a vethalai
A gold chain
In a “ kudam” – water to which cardamom powder & dry ginger powder are added
One sombu of panakam
One sombu of neer mor
Coins to give ladies with vethalai pakku
On the kolam in front of pudavai kalam, put double nuni elai, one overlapping the other. Nuni should face N.
On other kolams, place elais & “ kudikkum jalam”
Start before or after rahu kalam.
When the ladies arrive give them manjal mixed with water, to wash their legs, apply & come.
Then give them chandanam, kumkum & flowers & ask them to take their seat near the elais.
Offer all items on menu to the pudavai kalam first & hthen serve clockwise to other elais.
Show “ doopa deepam” to pudavai kalam first & then to all ladies.
The “ conducting person” should take in the hand akshathai & flowers, sprinkle below the pallu of the saree in the pudavai kalam & pay your respects( in mind) to all the deceased sumangalis of the family.
Show karpooram to the same.
Now offer a tsp jalam to the pudavai kalam & to all ladies in their hands.
They should drink it & start eating.
Nobody should get up halfway through.
After everybody finishes eating, again offer a tsp of water to thepudavai kalam & move the pallu corner to the N.
One of the daughters in law should eat the pudavai kalam sappadu.
After meals the ladies should be given naeer mor, panakam & chukku vellam.
Then smear haldi on their legs & put nalangu.
Offer flowers, maruthani, chandanam & kumkum.
In a plate keep lot of vethalai, pakku, gundu manjal, coconut, kumkum bharani, comb, mirro, coin, 2 bananas, blouse piece – keep in their paLLU.
Give akshathai in their hand, do namaskaram & ask them to blless you.
After the person who conducts has eaten, she must give the saree to a poor woman who also is asked to eat. ( I think this varies in each house)
Samayal:
Paruppu payasam – thayir pachadi – vella pachadi – vazakkai curry – avarai or kothavarai curry – poosani kootu – pitlai – mor kuzambu – thani kootu – kadalai paruppu sugar kosemalli – paasiparuppu savoury kosemalli – coriander thogayal – ginger, mango pickle – curry leaf thogayal – rasam – banana, mango, jackfruit – ulundu vadai – sojji appam – thengai sadam – lemon rice – kalathukku paruppu – ghee – curds – honey
