Agarni Karvani Reet (Khoro Bharvani Reet)

Agharni Ladvo
June 10, 2022

Note the indian gujarati parsi word Lavra is a plural form. Singular one is spoken as Lavro.

Ladoo is a term for small round balls. Usually boondi ladoo, besan ladoo, moti-choor ladoo, coconut ladoo and many other ladoos. You get the drift right?

Nothing is written below is compulsory, do everything happily according to your choice and convenience. 

Agarni  can be done either in the seventh month or ninth month. Seventh month is preferable. It should be done either on a Thursday or a Sunday. 

Unlike a Baby Shower, this ceremony is not about the Unborn Child.  It is about, celebrating a woman standing on the cusp of MOTHERHOOD.  It is about, filling her lap, Saree Palloo (metaphorically and literally) with goodies to sustain her health, happiness and prosperity.   

Generally, it is done only in the first pregnancy, as at the time of second pregnancy you have already attend Happy Motherhood.

Mother in law gets everything new for her daughter in-law (Paag thi Matha sudhi) New Green coloured saree (sign of fertility) or vehvan na kapda rakehela hoi to te sivravini pheravana. 

What to buy:

250 gms. green moong (lentils , a sign of fertility)

250 gms. Wheat ( a sign of prosperity, Gherma dhaan ni kami nahi rahe)

250 gms. Rice (Gherma dhaan ni kami nahi rahe-Prospertiy) 

One  choli ne saaf kidheloo navu coconut (may the life be as fruitful and useful as the coconut tree) 

Bijoroo is a fruit but difficult to get one instead put Pomegranate, slit a little and stick a coin inside (may there be prospertiy, ghanta ganai nahi tetli roji rahe) 

One Big larvo boondi no (small, small boondies mithai are joined together and made into a shape of a cone, may there be so much support in your life from all the people, family and friends and well wishers surrounding you to reach  the pinnacle of success) 

Seven small larva to be taken to Vevahis house (from both side), more to distribute among family and friends. 

Sagan nu..Paan, badam, kharek, sopari, sakar 

Twin banana if available 

Jewellery (if you wish to give)  or one sagan nu envelope to both the mother and father to be.Achoo Michoo keep ready at both the houses.

Agarni
Coconut
AGARNI

In the morning  the pregnant, to be mother takes a bath with dooh fool, and gets dressed in her new finery. Make the couple stand together and do sagan (tili) to both, now the vahumai holds out her saree palloo the other 4 or 6 women in the house will help to hold. Keep a cloth in the pallo (so that the saree does not get spoilt and becomes easy to empty out the Khoro) 

Mother in law will first put all the sagan nu saaman (paan, badam.etc)Now put Seven fistful one after the other (dont make it full fistful, she has to carry the weight  for  seven times of full green moong Repeat point no. 2 with rice Repeat point no. 2 with Wheat. Put Nariyal (coconut) Twin Bananas

Agharni no larvo (big one)You may give her any jewellry if you so desire or one envelope sagannu.Take ovarna, kissi, koti  and wish them Dadar Ahurmazad ne Ava Ardivisur Banoo ni madad thi Hasti Ramti saare divase, bachaa ne lai ne bharye khore vaheli ghere phdharje  and let the girl come down the patla with her right foot.Give the girl a sip of water and Proceed to dear mothers (vahevais)  house, with small ses and seven larvas. (Mother will take away 2-3 larvas and replace them from the ones she has got)Achoo michoo karine, take the children in, and the mother, with the help of other women in the house picks up the cloth from four corners and keeps it in her palloo or supra. 

Mother does tilli and repeats all of the above.

The girl gets off the patla.  Empty out the khoro in a supra. and both the  Mother and mother in-law breaks (do not cut) the tonch (point) of the larva puts it in the girls mouth point facing towards the mouth (the baby slips out safe and fast ( at the delivery time ()  Coconut, Dadam (pomegranate), Larvo has to be eaten, rest of the things can be taken any day after the next day  along with some fresh flowers and sakar (sugar) to the sea, river water (dariye vatoo karvanoo). 

The couple can go to the agiary and pray to Ahura Mazda to give you safe and fast delivery, ne hasta ramta bachaa ne lai ne gahre aviye. Mother from boys side can take the khali kidhelo khoro in a cloth to her home.

* Special sweets called Agarnina Lavras are made from Moti Choor (Boondi) Ladoo mix for this ceremony.

These lavras are kept in the mother’s lap with a full set of Saree clothes, whole coconut decorated with tilli (red kanku to be used), sugar cubes (sakar) and flowers.

The easiest way is to buy ready made boondi ladoo. Take your cone from the Parsi Ses “Paro”and line it with parchment paper in the cone. Break the boondi ladoos and fill the cone tightly, pressing down to compress.

Refrigerate for 2 – 3 hours or overnight. The cone will come out looking like an agharni lavro. Roll gently in chopeed almonds and sprinkle with rose water. Apply Silver Foil varakh if you have any. OR wrap each lavro in coloured cellophane paper, tie with a ribbon (red) in a bow at the top.

Boondi Ladoo Video & Recipe

Cookbook with recipes for Celebrations: Celebrating Zoroastrian Festivals and Traditions (ParsiCuisine) (Volume 4) Paperback

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