Pongal is the Hindu festival celebrated on the first day of the Tamil Month Thai every year which generally falls on fourteenth January. This is the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu. After long winter and wet months on the beginning of Thai month, farmers as note of thanks giving to the Sun God offers “Pongal” a recipe made of rice and milk . Pongal is the mark of new beginning for every new thing and it is beginning of Uttarayana, northward movement of Sun. This is a period of six months and this mark the beginning all festivities and is auspicious period in Hindu calendar. There is a saying in Tamil “ Thai piranthal Vazhi Pirakkum” meaning, the beginning of “Thai”, opens new prospects or new ways. Pongal is also known as Makar Sankranthi. Makara Sankranthi refers to the event of the Sun entering the zodiac sign of Makara or Capricorn.
Pongal is celebrated for four days; begins with bogi, pongal, then mattu pongal and the kanu pongal or kanum pongal.
Boghi Pandikai or Boghi is the day before Pongal where people discard all old and unwanted things at home and cleaned to welcome the new year.The people get up early and light a bonfire to burn old things . The house is cleaned, painted and decorated with kolam (rangoli) to give a festive look.
Pongal signifies the end of Farming season. As a mark of thanks giving, on the 1st day of tamil month Thai, people perform puja to Sun God. They prepare pongal with newly harvest rice in a decorated pot. They also offer their harvested crops as vegetables, sugar cane to Sun God, saying Pongaloo Pongal… Tradtionaly it was connected with farming activities, but now all over the world all tamilians celebrate pongal as a mark of new beginning. People wear new clothes and visit temple to offer prayers.
The third day of the Pongal is Mattu Pongal dedicated to the cattle. Cows and bulls have a significant role in the life of farmer. Cow gives milk and bull is used in farming activites. The cattle is washed and horns are painted and they are adorned with muti coloured beedds and bells on their necks and they are well fed and puja is performed to them.
Jalli Kattu –( taming of the bull) is held in the districts of Madurai, Tiruchirapally, Tanjavur, and other places of Tamil Nadu. Bundle of money is betted on this and the person who tames the bull gets this money. But this si dangerous and more often results in loss of life of the person or serious injuries. A variation of this Manju Virattu takes place in most districts of Madural, Trichy etc;
And the fourth day is the Kanum Pongal where people visit far off places with family and friends with packed varieties of rice. Earlier people visit, river Kaveri and have games and fun and lunch on the banks of Kaveri. People at Chennai visit Marina Beach and other places as zoo, movie on the day of Kanum Pongal.
Pongal , as celebrated in Tamil Nadu has various names in other parts of the country. This harvest festival is known in different name in other parts of India.
Makar Sankanthi in Andra Pradesh and Northern India. Major excitement on this day is flying kites. People make different colored kites and fly kites on this day.
Lohri festival is celebrated as begning of Uttarayan in Punjab. People gather around and make bonfire and put til, puffed rice in the flames and pray for prosperity. Gidda and Bangra dances are performed.
Bihu In Assam where people offer the First crops of the season of the month have been used to offer to supreme god brai Shibrai and ask for peace and prosperity from them.
In Kerela, Makar Sankaranthi is marked with the Makar Jyothi at Sabarimala. Millions of devotees gather at Sabaraimala to visualize the Makara Jyothi , celestial light (jyothi) appears at horizon during the dusk of Makar Sankanthi day. This is considered to be a great moment for all devotees of Lord Ayyappa.
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