While Karwa Chauth dominates the northern festive calendar, Atla Tadde holds a similar emotional and spiritual place for Telugu-speaking women in South India.
This vibrant festival, dedicated to Goddess Gowri (Parvati), is marked by fasting, prayers, traditional songs, and the symbolic offering of atlu, small rice dosas. In 2025, Atla Tadde brings together devotion, tradition, and togetherness in Telugu households across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
ATLA TADDE 2025 DATE AND TIMINGS
According to DrikPanchang, Atla Tadde will be observed on Thursday, October 9, 2025.
Tritiya Tithi (Thadiya) begins: 2:20 AM on October 9
Tritiya Tithi ends: 10:55 PM on October 9
Moonrise time: around 7:22 PM
Women begin their fast early in the morning and conclude it after the moonrise puja in the evening.
SIGNIFICANCE OF ATLA TADDE
Atla Tadde is one of the most cherished festivals for Telugu women, celebrated with devotion and joy. The word Atla Tadde literally translates to “the dosa festival on the third lunar day” from Atlu (small dosas) and Tadde (third day).
Married women fast and pray for the health, longevity, and prosperity of their husbands.
Unmarried girls observe the vratam (fast) in hopes of finding an ideal life partner.
The festival is also a symbol of sisterhood, where women come together to sing, apply mehendi, and exchange rituals in a joyous setting.
ATLA TADDE RITUALS AND TRADITIONS
1. Early Morning Preparations
Before sunrise, women wake up and eat a light pre-fast meal known as Suddi Bhojanam, usually leftover rice mixed with curd and gongura chutney. After this, the day-long fast begins.
2. Daylong Fasting
The fast continues throughout the day without food or water. Women dedicate the day to prayers and preparations for the evening puja.
3. Evening Puja and Offerings
At dusk, devotees perform the Gowri Puja, worshipping Goddess Parvati. They prepare and offer ten small dosas (Atlu) as part of the ritual. The puja thali typically includes rice, turmeric, kumkum, flowers, coins, and mango leaves.
4. Moonrise and Breaking the Fast
When the moon appears, women view it (often through water or a sieve) and recite prayers before breaking their fast. They eat the Atlu offered earlier as prasadam, signifying the end of the vrat.
5. Festive Joy and Togetherness
The festival is also marked by singing traditional Atla Tadde Paatalu (songs), applying gorintaku (mehendi), and swinging on decorated uyyala (swings), celebrating womanhood and devotion in a joyful atmosphere.
ATLA TADDE AND ITS SPIRITUAL ESSENCE
The essence of Atla Tadde lies in its simplicity and sincerity. It celebrates the divine feminine energy of Goddess Gowri while symbolising love, loyalty, and blessings within marital and family life. Beyond fasting, it represents the faith that binds relationships and communities together.