Pongal

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Pongal inarguably has been Tamil Nada’s most popular festival for several years now and continues to be celebrated with much vigor and excitement to this day. Lasting over four fun filled and joyful days involving a wide variety of traditional rituals, the festival falls during the months of January-February. The occasion is a sort of thanksgiving to Mother Nature, as this is the period when rice, sugar-cane, turmeric and other cereals are harvested. The name of the festival was derived from the Tamil word meaning ‘to boil’ and it is also called as the ‘festival of harvest’.

This quintessential 'Tamil Festival' typically falls on the 14th 15th of January which signals the start of Thai month. The festival celebrates the life cycle that produces grain and according to local belief, all kinds of family problems also get resolved during these auspicious days. This is also regarded as an ideal time for weddings as the agricultural communities have just gained the riches from their harvest. Each day involves different types of rituals and traditional rites being performed which culminates on the fourth and final day.

The First Day

This first day is called Bhogi festival and is dedicated to Lord Indra, the god of rains. The rituals involve paying homage to Lord Indra for bringing abundance of harvest and prosperity to the land. Wood and cow dung are used to make a fire in which useless household articles are thrown with the women of the house dancing around it and singing praises.

The Second Day

The second day ritual involves boiling rice in milk in an earthenware pot in the outdoors. This is symbolic to holy offering to the sun-god along with other oblations. A turmeric plant is tied around the pot in which the rice will be boiled and all people wear traditional dress and markings. The offerings comprises of two sticks of sugar-cane placed behind the pot and coconut and bananas in the dish.

The Third Day

Known as Mattu Pongal, the third day of Pongal is dedicated to cows and bulls and traces its roots back to the mythological incident involving Lord Shiva and his Bull. The rituals followed involves decorating the cattle with multi-colored beads, sheaves of corn, tinkling bells with flower garlands tied around their neck. They are worshipped and fed with Pongal followed by their procession to the village centers. The entire atmosphere becomes festive and full of fun and revelry. The rituals also involve ‘Arati’ of the cattle’s in order to ward off the evil eye.

The Fourth Day

Known as Knau or Kannum Pongal day, the fourth day is in a way dedicated to the brothers of the household. The rituals involves pacing sweet Pongal and Venn Pongal, ordinary rice as well as rice colored red and yellow, betel nuts, betel leaves and two pieces of sugarcane in a turmeric leaf which is then placed on the ground. All women in the family then assemble and pray for the wellbeing of their brothers family and household. Arati is performed for the brothers with the water containing turmeric, limestone and rice which is then sprinkled on the kolam in front of the house.