Pongal Festival
Pongal is the harvest festival in South India. Pongal in Tamil means "boiling over or spill over." The act of boiling over of milk in the clay pot is considered auspicious and denotes the future prosperity for the family. Pongal is big celebration in Tamil Nadu and Tamils worldwide. Pongal festival is associated with the harvest festival. On this day people thank the rain, sun and the farm animals that have helped in the harvest. Everyone wear new clothes and dress to the finest.
About Pongal
Bhogi Pongal
Pongal is a four day festivity. The celebration starts from the last day of the Tamil month Maargazhi to the third day of the Thai. Kolam decorations are an important part of Pongal. The first day is called Bhogi. The day is celebrated by throwing away and destroying old clothes and materials. People set old clothes on fire, which marks the end of the old Thai and the emergence of the new Thai.
Sarkarai Pongal
The second day, of the Pongal, is the most important day which falls on the first day of the Tamil month Thai. It is popularly known as Sarkarai Pongal or Veetu Pongal. The second day is celebrated by boiling rice with fresh milk and jaggery in new pots. The food is later topped with brown sugar, cashew nuts and raisins which allow it to boil over the vessel. When the rice boils over and bubbles come out of the vessel, the tradition is to blowing the sangu and shout "Ponggalo Ponggal." It is considered auspicious and brings good luck and prosperity, to watch the rice boils over.
Maattu Pongal
The boiled over rice is offered to the Nature during sunrise. It is a kind gesture which means to convey thanks to the sun and nature. The third day is called Maattu Pongal. On this day people offer thanks to cattle, as they help farmer in different ways for agriculture. Tamilians decorate their cattle’s with paint, flowers and bells. Their horns are decorated with gold and other metallic covers. In various places, Jallikattu is organized which is the taming of wild bull. It is the main event seen in various villages.
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Kaanum Pongal
The final day of the Pongal is called the Kaanum Pongal. The word kaanum means "to view." People socialize with their near and dear ones. People visit their relatives to enjoy the festive season and greet each other.
On Pongal people prepare savories Venn, Sakkarai and Chackra; and sweets such as vadai, murrukku and payasam. The three most popular Pongal dishes are Ariselu, Bandaru Ladoo, and Sarkarrai Pongal. Ariselu are balls of rice flour and jaggery syrup. Bandaru Ladoo is spiral of gram flour. Sarkarrai Pongal is cooked rice with milk and dried fruits.
Pongal is equally popular in the urban areas as is in rural areas. In the cities, people celebrate Pongal enjoying and relaxing. Woman’s decorate sugarcane and decorate the entrance of their house with kolam. They fill a variety of colors in kolam. Today, the festival of Pongal has emerged as a national festival. All Tamilians irrespective of their origins celebrate Pongal with pomp and pageantry. |
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