Hoovilya is an auspicious ritual conducted just before major celebrations like Marriage or Upanayana / Sacred thread ceremony in Karnataka. It is more like an all women’s party, where at least 5 or more married women and young girls are invited. The invitations are extended two days prior to the Hoovilya day and while inviting the ladies and girls, they are given arishina-yenne / Turmeric powder with Oil.
The women and girls invited on this day have to take a head bath and grace the occasion.
On this day, keep a small mane / wooden platform in front of your house and put Rangoli in front of the mane. Mix a tablespoon of Turmeric Powder in a bucket of water. Ask a lady to stand on the mane and wash her feet with the turmeric water. Using a towel, dry her feet and apply Turmeric Powder and Kunkama / Kumkum / Vermillion colored powder on the feet and do namaskara / obeisance. Repeat this procedure to all the women and girls who have come over for the hoovilya ritual.
Usher all the women inside the house and make them sit on a mat next to one another.
Buy as many trays as the number of women and girls invited. Arrange the following items in each of the tray to give as dana / gifts:
1. Five types of fruits (Apple, Banana, Pineapple, Pomegranate, Mango, Mosambi / Orange etc.)
2. 1 Coconut
3. Blouse Piece
4. 2 Types of Flowers
5. Betel Leaves and Betel Nuts
6. Dakshine / Coins
7. Bangles
8. Yellina Chigali, Tambittu
9. 2 Types of Kosambari
For girls you can give imitation jewelry, bindis, hair bands etc.
Keep the tray in front of the women and girls. Give Arishina / Turmeric Powder and Kunkuma / Kumkum and Flower to all the women. Give Kosambari for them to eat. Next give them a glass of juice and milk to drink. Give the trays to them.
Perform an aarathi to all the women and girls and do Namaskara / obeisance. Give manthrakshathe (rice smeared with kumkum) to all the women and children. All of you can go to the temporary coconut palm pendal put up outside the house and sprinkle the Manthrakshathe on the pendal and get inside the house.
Prepare habbada adige / festival food with Holige as the sweet and serve everyone.
