Puthari harvest festival will be celebrated in Karnataka's Kodagu today

MADIKERI: Puthari (Huthari), which is the festival of paddy harvesting, will be celebrated on Wednesday in Kodagu. Local Kodavas, Gowdas and many other local communities celebrate the traditional festival.
On the evening when it is star Rohini, as per the traditional calendar, all members of families gather in the family home in traditional attire. They bow down to the lamp of God in the middle of the central sanctum of the house and seek blessings of the elders of the family. The lady of the house fills the Huthari basket with paddy, some rice and rice flour. A vessel made with hollow bamboo will be filled with milk, honey, ghee, sesame seeds etc. A sickle is also placed with this. A three-legged stool with the 'bolcha' (lamp) and a plate with rice, betel leaves and areca is also kept. A basket with puffed rice and honey is carried to the paddy fields.
The head of the family follows carrying the basket with honey, milk and sickle. He will pour the milk at the base of the paddy plant and all shout "Poli, Poli Deva!" (O God, give us a bountiful harvest) .A single gunshot will be fired in the air. The paddy sheaves are cut in odd numbers 5, 7, 9, 11 and placed in the basket. He also distributes it to people present.
After this special dishes, Elakki Puttu, a steamed rice preparation with rice flour, sesame, ginger, coconut, bitter gourd skin, etc., is prepared. Bananas, milk, honey are added and little balls are made . The puttu is then served with other dishes like thambutt and sweet rice 'payasam' (milk, sugar preparation with the new rice).
Food offerings kept for one's ancestors called "Meedi" is an important part of the celebration. All the cooked dishes are first kept for the ancestors.
Bursting of firecrackers form an important part of the celebrations.