Aane Habba: Clay Elephants, Lamps, and the Grace of Sriman Narayana and the Birth of Gajalakshmi
A Festival Rooted in Grace In the sacred rhythm of the Karthika month , Iyengar households celebrate Aane Habba —the festival where Aane is Sriman Narayana himself , the bounty of all gracious things. It is a time when devotion, play, and community converge, transforming homes into sanctuaries of light and joy. Significance Beyond Ritual Aane Habba is not only worship but also women’s gathering and playtime , sculpting together, involving children, and respecting the soil. The act of shaping elephants from clay becomes a gesture of connectivity with Mother Earth , reminding us that divinity is inseparable from ecology and community. Rituals of Clay and Light Clay Sculpting: Elephants are made from clay, decorated with thiruman , adorned with silk vastram , and placed on a peetham decorated with rangoli. Pooja: Married women perform pooja, offer naivedyam , and do harathi —with camphor, red-colored water, and pradakshina nama...