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Lasting for over four days Pongal, a harvest festival is celebrated in the month of Shravan. Pongal literally means, "boiling over". The Tamil harvest festival is celebrated with decorated cows, processions and decorative Rangoli. Pongal is a sweet porridge made from newly harvested rice and eaten by all, even the animals. 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. It is widely celebrated in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. |
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Bogi festival or Bhogi is the first day of Pongal celebrated in honor of Lord Indra, "the God of Clouds and Rains" is also known as Indran. Lord Indra is worshiped for the abundance of harvest, thereby bringing plenty and prosperity to the land. All the houses from the richest to the humblest are thoroughly scrubbed and whitewashed. Homes are cleaned and decorated with "Kolam" - floor designs drawn in the white paste of newly harvested rice with outlines of red mud. Often pumpkin flowers are set into cow-dung balls and placed among the patterns. A special puja is performed on the first day of Pongal before the cutting of paddy. Farmers worship the sun and the earth by anointing their ploughs and sickles with sandalwood paste. It is with these consecrated tools that the newly-harvested rice is cut. Fresh harvest of rice, turmeric and sugarcane is brought in from the field as preparation for the following day. |
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The second day of Pongal is known as 'Surya Pongal' and is dedicated to the Sun God. Women wake early on this day to create elaborate kolam on the grounds in front of their doorway or home. On this day the new rice is collected and cooked in pots until they over flow. It is this overflowing which means Pongal. This overflowing of rice is a joyous occasion, and the children and adults as well will shout out 'Pongal-o Pongal!' The pot in which the Pongal is cooked, is decorated with flowers, sugarcane pieces, turmeric plant, etc. The first offering is made to the Sun. The Sun God is offered boiled milk and jaggery on a plank placed on the ground. In the centre of the plank is drawn a large figure of the Sun God with his effulgent rays. The "Puja" of the Sun God starts after the auspicious moment of the birth of the new month Thai. Prayers are rendered to the Sun God to seek his benedictions. Sweets, puddings, cooked rice or 'Sarkarai Pongal' are prepared on this day. |
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The third day of Pongal is dedicated to cattle and is called Maatu Pongal. Cows and bulls have always held a special place in India. Cows give nourishing milk while bulls and oxen help plough the fields. Thus, Maatu Pongal is a day when prayers are offered to cattle and are given a well deserved day of rest and are given pride of place. The cattle are washed, their horns are painted and covered with shining metal caps. Multi-colored beads, tinkling bells, sheaves of corn and flower garlands are tied around their necks. They are fed with Pongal and taken to the village centres. Devotees pay their respect to cows by bending down, like praying in temple, and touching their feet and foreheads, followed by an aarthi (showing fire to the object of praise) and offering the cattle prasadam (food offering, in this case, Pongal). A festival called Jallikattu is held in Madurai, Tiruchirapalli and Tanjavur on this day. Bundles of money are tied to the horns of ferocious bulls which the villagers try to retrieve. Everyone joins in the community meal, at which the food is made of the freshly harvested grain. |
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The fourth day of the three-day Pongal celebrations is called Kaanum Pongal. In few places this day is also known as Karinaal or Thiruvalluvar Day. Surya is worshiped on this day. Freshly cooked food including the typical sweet dish 'Sarkarai pongal' is first offered to Surya. Also on this day women offer prayers for the wellbeing of their brothers. All the women, young and old, of the house, assemble in the courtyard. The rice is placed in the centre of the leaf, while the women ask that the house and family of their brothers should prosper. Arati is performed for the brothers with turmeric water, limestone and rice, and this water is sprinkled on the kolam in front of the house. On this day, people travel to see other family members and the younger members of the family pay homage to the elders, and the elders thank them by giving token money. |
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