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Keddaso(also spell Keddasaಕೆಡ್ಡಸೊ(Tulu: ತುಳು) ) or Bhumi Puje is popularly known as the "festival of worshipping Mother Earth" in the Tulu Nadu region of South India. This is an important four-day festival celebrated in the closing days of Tulu month Ponny (Gregorian month February). This festival shows the environmental awareness of the people residing at that region.
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Rituals
Keddasa normally falls in the month of February. The day is celebrated for three days Keddasa, Nadu Keddasa and Kade Keddasa. Durind kade Keddasa an elderly lady of the family performs the ritual, where she makes Sarnadde; unique dish of Tulunad and plates it in front of Tulasi katte. Early morning she wakes up and puts cow dung(ambi) around Tulsi katte and lights lamp. Along with it she keeps Kumkum, Shikakai in front of the katte. She pours coconut oil to the soil as a symbol that she is putting oil to mother earth, before she goes to bathe herself.
Shikai is kept because mother earth goes for bath and bathes herself with Shikakai. After bath she comes back ; puts Kumkum and haves Sarnadde that has been kept in a banana leaf.
Special food
During Keddasa, one more practice was prevalent was to have lentils like horse gram, green gram, dried coconut, rice and peanuts called as Kudu Ari. They were roasted and were given to all. This is because winter is the time when body needs lot of proteins and oil. These lentils would help the body be intact in working condition.
Hunting
The Arasu of the village went for Bonte(hunting) along with villagers. this in a way was to get rid of the animals that trouble the agricultural works and also for entertainment. To get a break from farming, Tuluvas made a practice of hunting during Keddasa.