GSBs to celebrate 'Ukkuli' on Sunday

Kochi: Mattancherry will witness a unique celebration on Sunday. 'Ukkuli' - a festival of Gowda Saraswat Brahmins will be celebrated on Sunday afternoon with people throwing turmeric water on each other. The word 'Ukkuli' means bathing in turmeric water.
R Venkiteswara Pai, managing committee member of Ernakulam Tirumala Devaswom Temple said: "We celebrate Ukkuli soon after holi celebrations come to an end.Sunday has been chosen to make it convenient for the people. The celebrations would start two days prior to Ukkuli. On first day, which is called 'Aaji Holi', there is burning of two arecanut trees, symbolising Holika, sister of Hiranyakashipu and his son Prahlada. The celebrations on the second day, 'Faii holi' involves preparation of feast and sharing it with the community members. Third day is 'Ukkuli' and burning the effigy of Bodhanan, symbolising evil."
The celebrations begin at 3pm with men and children taking part in a procession to the temple.
The effigy, which is called 'foddo' in Konkani, will be burned on the North West corner of the Tirumala temple at 6pm. This is accompanied with shouting 'death to demon' by the members of the community. The ritual burning of effigy is called 'Kama Dahanam'. After this, people gather outside the temple and receive 'Theertham' ('Proksham') and paste of turmeric ('Moly') from the priest.
Then they take out another procession, called 'Parikrama' through the streets, where the community members reside. People pour water mixed with turmeric or other colours kept in large vessels outside their house, on each other. In the night, people eat 'Rontosso Ani Thoy' ('Ari Pathiri') specially prepared for the occasion.
Kochi has around around 3,000 GSB families.