Pongal is a harvest festival of the state of Tamil Nadu. People pray to the Sun God on this occasion.
Pongal
Pongal
is a harvest festival of the state of Tamil Nadu. People pray to the Sun God on
this occasion. The sun is very powerful and helps in the growth of paddy and
other crops. The first harvest of the year comes around the mid-January every
year. So the farmers pay their obeisance to the Sun God and show their
gratitude towards him.
It
is the first chain of festivals to be celebrated every year. The date of this
festival is calculated by the solar calendar (Western calendar). So, it remains
constant every year, on the 14th of January. However, the festival is
celebrated for four days, from the 13th to 16th of the month.
Each
day of this festival has a special significance. The first day is called
'Bhogi'. On this day, people clean their homes and dispose of worn-out and
useless things. Old materials of the house are replaced with the new ones.
People then light bonfires and burn their old clothes and broken goods. This
marks the end of the Tamil month 'Margazhi'.
The
second day is called 'Thai Pongal' and is the main day of celebration. It falls
on the first day of the Tamil month Thai. On this day, people worship the Sun
God. Women wake up early in the morning and make 'kolam' in front of their houses.
Kolam is a rangoli created with coloured rice flour placed on the ground.
Kitchen is cleaned and old utensils are replaced by new. People take bath and
wear new dresses, and assemble at one place to.celebrate the festival. As soon
as the sun rises, women draw a picture of the Sun God in an open space. The Sun
God is shown moving in a chariot, driven by seven horses. A small sun is drawn
at the centre of the chariot. Devotees adorn the picture with turmeric powder
and sandalwood paste. Two or three bricks are placed on the ground, with
firewood between them. A gentle fire is then kindled. Sugar canes are placed on
both sides of the bricks. Women decorate earthen pots in colourful patterns and
keep them on the fire. After this, people worship the fire and the pots.
In
Tamil language, 'Pongal' literally means boiling over. Women boil the new rice
with fresh milk and jaggery, and allow it to overflow the pots. As soon as the
people see this overflowing of rice, they shout in joy, “Pongal o Pongal!”
These words are nothing but an expression of happiness that the new harvest is
here and we should enjoy it! Children dance and sing to the tune of these
words. The sweet dish thus prepared is first offered to the Sun God. Some
people also cook brinjal sambar (stew), vadai, idli, and spicy curry. They also
like to chew sugar cane.
The
third day is called 'Maattu Pongal'. Maattu refers to cattle. On this day,
people thank their cattle for providing milk and pulling the plough. Cows and
Bulls are decorated with colours. Their horns are beautifully painted. Jingling
bells are placed around their neck. In some villages in south India, people
play bull-fighting. It is called Jallikattu.
The
fourth and final day is called 'Kaanum Pongal1. The word 'kaanum' literally
means 'to view'. On this day, people travel far and wide to see their
relatives. Some families visit the beaches and theme parks for entertainment.
Pongal is also known as 'Tamizhar Thirunal1 or The Festival of Tamils. On the
same day when Pongal is celebrated in South India, similar festivals are
celebrated in other states. All these festivals have different names. In Andhra
Pradesh and Karnataka, the harvest festival is called 'Sankranti'. In North
.India, it is called 'Makar Sankranti'. In Maharashtra and Gujarat, it is
called 'Uttarayan’, and is celebrated as the annual kite-flying day. In Punjab
and Haryana, this harvest festival is known as Lohri.
There
is an astronomical significance of these harvest festivals. They mark the
beginning of 'Uttarayana', the Sun's northward movement for a period of six
months. In Hinduism, 'Uttarayana' is considered auspicious, as opposed to
'Dakshinayana' when the sun moves southward for a period of six months. On the
occasion of Pongal, people sing the song 'Thai Pirandhal Vazhi PirakkunT, which
means that the birth of the month of Thai will pave way for new opportunities.
This festival indeed marks the emergence of new ideas and invokes fresh life.
Festivals of India : Tag: Festivals of India : Festivals of India - Pongal