Pongal - Indian cultural celebrations

Hello readers ! First of all, I want to wish all the Indians Happy Pongal.  I am sorry because I was quite busy with Pongal celebration where I cannot do my bloggie entry. Wondering what is Pongal or never heard of it. Maybe you know it but have not know the significance of Pongal. Nothing to worry, I will help you. Okay, Pongal festival is usually celebrated by South Indians.

Pongal means "boiling over" or "overflow". Pongal is also the name of a sweetened dish of rice boiled with milk and sugar which is ritually consumed on this day. Symbolically, pongal signifies the overflowing of goodness, wealth, health and all the abundance and prosperity. This is a festival of thanksgiving to nature. There is also a belief in the Hindus that the harvest festival will bring great wealth and goodness to their homes.

Pongal Pot that is overflowing

Pongal is a four day festival which usually been celebrated from January 13 to 16 in the Gregorian calendar. Its the last day of the Tamil month Margazhi to the third day of Tamil month Thai. Thai Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated by Tamil people at the end of the harvest season. It is held to honor the Sun, for a harvest. Families gather to rejoice and share their joy and their harvests with others. The Sun God is offered a "Pongal" of rice and milk.

Preparations for this festival start early and the first thing that is always found in Hindu homes is the 'kolam'. This is a pattern that is made with rice flour and is usually drawn on the floor outside the door. Sometimes Indians do Rangoli Kolam (colorful rice and powders). The kolams serve as a symbol of welcoming guests to the entrance of the house. The houses are cleaned and decorated to prepare for Pongal.

In spite of immense urbanization, the traditions and customs attached to the harvest festival of Pongal has not diminished. The nature of these tradition and customs has changed, the glitter of this festival has not dimmed. The fast changing times certain things do not change. The way we celebrate the festivals, for instance. The festival of Pongal captures the quintessence of south Indian culture entirety and traditional practices and customs continue to hold their own even today.

The spirit is alive and Pongal is still treated as a time to discard the old and welcome the new. The new crop that is harvested is cooked and offered to the Almighty.

Okay, lets precisely look on Pongal festival. As I told earlier Pongal festival is celebrated four days :

Bhogi Pongal

This is the first day of Pongal celebration. On the day people discard old things and focus on new belongings. The people assemble at dawn to light a bonfire to discard old used possessions. The house is cleaned, painted and decorated to give a festive look. This first day is celebrated in honor of Lord Indra, the supreme ruler of clouds that give rains. According to Hindu legendary story Bhogi is celebrated to throw away and diminished the bad habit that we have such as Anger, Ego, Jealousy, Heavy-Headed Arrogant, and many internal emotional behaviour that are classified as evil.

A legendary story of Lord Indra and Lord Krishna as an evidences of Bhogi celebrations. It is said when Lord Krishna were in his childhood, he decided to teach a lesson to Lord Indra who became arrogant after becoming the king of all deities. Lord Krishna asked all the cowherds to stop worshiping Lord Indra. This angered Lord Indra and sent forth his clouds for thunder-storms and 3 days continuous rains. Lord Krishna lifted Govardhan hill to save all the humans. Later, Lord Indra realized his mistake and divine power of Krishna. There after he changed himself.

Lord Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill to protect the
villagers from tunders, lighting and heavy rain

Thai Pongal

Thai Pongal is also said Surya (Sun) Pongal as it is mainly celebrated to convey the appreciation and thankfulness to the Sun God as it act as the primary energy behind agriculture and a good harvest.

Basava, (Lord Shiva's bull) to go to the earth and deliver a message to the human to have an oil massage and bath every day and to eat once a month. Inadvertently, Basava announced that everyone should eat daily and have an oil bath once a month. This mistake enraged Lord Shiva who then cursed Basava, banishing him to live on the earth forever. He would have to plough the fields and help people produce more food. Therefore the Thai Pongal is celebrated in order to thank the Sun God for helping in the agriculture by giving good sunlight to produce more crops for harvest. This story is also said to be an evidence story of third pongal.

Pongal rice - sweetened rice cooked with milk,
sugar, ghee and fried cashew and raisins.

Mattu Pongal

The same legendary story associates with the third day of Pongal which is Mattu Pongal which an honour for cows and cattle. It is dedicated to the cows and cattle as cowherds and shepherds pay thanks to their cows and bulls. They paint their horns and cover them with shining metal caps. They are decorated with tinkling bells tied around their neck. Many activities with cows are hled. Cow races are conducted and it's called 'Manji Virattu' where groups of young men chase running bulls. Bull fights called 'Jallikattu' are also arranged at some places where young men have to take the money bags tied to the horns of ferocious bulls single-handedly and without the use of arms.

Coloured horn for Mattu Pongal celebration

Kaanum Pongal

The fourth day is Kaanum Pongal. On this day, people travel to see other family members. On this day, the younger members of the family pay homage to the elders, and the elders thank them by giving token money. People also do leave food out on banana leaves for birds especially crows to take. Old Hindu Mythology says crows and birds are said to be our past lineage, as if there are our grandparents.

At some other places, this day is celebrated as Kanni Pongal when girls feed colored balls of cooked rice and certain poojas. This is done as they pray for their brothers' happiness and that they always remember them. This traditions was taken up in recent years as they are similar to Raksha Bhandan that been done by North Indian where they ties Rakhi Band on their brothers' hand.

Raksha Bandhan ceremony done by North Indians,
sisters tying Rakhi on brothers' hand

Well, I guess that's it for now. I have explained in details about Pongal. If you have any add on information or if you felt this information have fault do let me know. Just leave a comment below. But if you felt this is a good article, don't forget to share to your social network. Thanks till we meet again on my next bloggie :)


With LOVE,
Kanushavik <3