Yellu Amavasya, also known as Ellamavasya, is observed on the no moon day in the Margashirsh month (December - January) in Karnataka and parts of Andhra Pradesh. Yellu Amavasya 2024 date is December 30. Ellu means Sesame or Til and Amavasya is the no moon day. Ellu Amavasya festival is observed by farmers and is form a thanksgiving to Mother Earth for a good harvest.
An important ceremony on Yellu Amavasya day is the spraying of sesame and jaggery in agricultural lands. There is a belief that the sesame and jaggery are food for the worms in the farmland.
Some people also observe pujas dedicated to Lord Shani – especially those who have trouble with Shani Graha or Saturn in their horoscope.
Special vegetarian dishes using pulses and green leaves are prepared for the day, especially by farmers. Some of the dishes prepared include bajje, pundi, chikki, palak, menthe, rajgiri, bartha, jowar kadubu and sajje kadubu.
Those who do Shraddha on this day will have their sins completely removed. People also do Samudra snaana or snaana in holy rivers before performing tarpana, and shraddha.
All the agricultural laborers gather on the farmland and the food is consumed along with all family members
Special prayers are also held at rural temples for a better harvest. In cities, people have a picnic to nearby parks and have food together with their family.
An important ritual on Ellamavasya is taking bath in sea or river. It is said that after the great Mahabharata war, Tarpanas were given to the dead warriors on Yellu Amavasya day.
Darshan of Balarama at the Vadabhandeshwara Temple at Malpe in Udupi in Karnataka is considered highly meritorious.
Shradh - Tarpana on Yellu Amavasya
The general belief is that those people who perform Shraddh, Tila Tarpana, bhojana of poor, and other daana will be blessed with peace and prosperity. People also do the pooja of Pitrantaryami Srihari. Pitru devategalu and their antaryami (dead ancestors) will be blessed and pleased by their descendents on earth observing this day.Those who do Shraddha on this day will have their sins completely removed. People also do Samudra snaana or snaana in holy rivers before performing tarpana, and shraddha.