Pongal festival is the first festival beginning off each new year in the
Indian state of Tamil Nadu. As the dates for pongal festival are calculated
by the solar calander (ie. Western), the dates of January 13-16 never
change. When the harvest is over, the people of Tamil Nadu express their
gratitude to the gods, the earth and their cattle. For four days, they
celebrate with abandon and worship with devotion. Each day of this festival
has a special significance, however, it is celebrated more grandly in the
villages, while the city folk mainly celebrate on the second day only.
Kolam ( Rangoli) :-
Preparations for the festival of pongal start early and the first thing
that is always found in Hindu homes before the start of "Pongal
Festival" or "Harvest Festival" is the 'kolam'. This is a
form of decoration for the Hindus' homes. This decorative pattern is made
with rice flour & is usually drawn on the floor, outside the door in
tamilnadu. The kolams serve as a symbol of welcoming guests to the entrance
of the house. At the center of the Kolam is a lump of cow-dung, which holds
a five-petalled pumpkin flower-a symbol of fertility and an offering of love
to the presiding deity.
The first day - Bhogi
The first day od pongal is celebrated as the Bhogi Pongal and is usually
meant for domestic activities and of being together with the family members.
This first day is celebrated in honour of Lord Indra, the supreme ruler of
clouds that give rains. Another ritual observed on this day is Bhogi
Mantalu, when useless household articles are thrown into a fire made of wood
and cow-dung cakes. Girls dance around the bonfire, singing songs in praise
of the gods, the spring and the harvest.
The second day - Pongal
The second day of harvest festival is known as 'Pongal', in tamionadu, the
most important day of the entire festival, where prayers are offered to the
Sun. On this day, the Sun is given great importance. On the morning of this
day, the family will gather outside their houses and cook 'pongal' in clay
pots. When the rice inside the pot overflows, the people will cry out
'Pongal O Pongal' and pray to the Sun.
The overflow of rice symbolizes a prosperous farming season for them. On
this auspicious day, people will visit each other and dine. Sweets are also
cooked in the Hindus homes for the guests.
The third day - Maatu Pongal
The third day is known as Mattu Pongal, the day of Pongal for cows. To the
village people cow, the giver of milk and the bull which draws the plough in
the fields are very valuable and therefore the farmers honour their dumb
friends by celebrating it as a day of thanks-giving to them. The cattle are
washed, their horns are painted and covered with shining metal caps.
Kaanum Pongal
Kanu Pongal, which falls on the same day as Maatu Pongal, is celebrated by
sisters for the welfare of their brothers. Pongal or Harvest festival of
Tamilnadu is reminiscent of Raksha Bandhan and Bhai Dooj of North India.
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Pongal Festival
