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 January 11. 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. All the agricultural laborers gather on the farmland