Hostilu Namaskara

During Shravana Month of the Hindu Solar Calendar hostilu (threshold of house),
, (usually starts on Aug 15th) all the ladies of the house perform a rituall of small puja at the hostilu (threshold of house) . where in the hostilu is cleaned and various symbols are drawn on it with chalk or rice powder …then kumkum and turmeric is applied on the symbols and with flowers, kadhike (a special type of grass), lamp and glass of water a puja is performed by each lady member of the family at the hostilu…
my reasoning of this is thus: since turmeric is an antiseptic, applying it would be for hygienic purpose, the flowers would freshen up the air and the puja itself …humbly thanking all the elements in nature that help us in our life..for each symbol denotes a particular element… the mirror images of ‘D’ ’s denotes a cow, the symbol is of the feetprint of the cow…
.the second symbol of a parijata flower ..symbolises forest….and the third symbol of shanka (shell) which denotes the river /sea and the centre symbol is kadike which is very sacred grass used in all our pujas and offered to our Gods..it must have something to do with oxygen or purifying the air ..and ..the cow, parijata shanka are a favorite of Lord Krishna….and his message has always been to respect nature…