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Pongal is the most important and longest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu. It is celebrated over a period of four days in the month of January, starting from the last day of Marghazhi month (according to the tamil calendar) till the third day of Thai month. The first day of the Thai month is called Thai Pongal, when it is believed that the sun enters the Makar Rasi (Capricorn). Pongal is mainly a Thanksgiving celebration to the Sun God for the great harvest they had the previous year. The word Pongal means overflowing, that signifies overflowing abundance and prosperity.
'Thai pirandhaal vazhi pirakkum'
The commencement of Thai month will pave way for new opportunities and brings good luck.
First day - Bhogi pongal
First day of Pongal is called B h o g i Pongal celebrated on January 14ththis year which is the last day of the month of Margazhi. Bhogi is celebrated to honour Lord Indra, for an abundant harvest. An important ritual on this day in Tamil Nadu is, discarding old household articles and clothes into fire made of cow dung cakes and wood. Houses are cleaned and decorated with banana leaves & mango leaves and the courtyards are adorned with rangolis. In villages, horns of oxen and buffaloes are painted getting them ready for the harvest festival as animals play an important role in agriculture and cultivation. Fresh harvest of rice, turmeric and sugarcane is brought in from the field for preparing for the following day.
Thai Pongal - Second Day
The first day of the Thai month called T h a i p o n g a l or P e r u m P o n g a l, is the main day of this celebration. The day starts early for the Tamilians as they prepare the Pongal dish in clay pots in front of their houses using firewood and bricks. Pongal is prepared with rice, jaggery and milk which are the most important ingredients. When the milk boils and overflows people cry out "Pongalo Pongal" in chorus as a tradition. It signifies "Let the prosperity overflow". Later a special meal is prepared and is served in a banana leaf to the whole family after offering it to God. Many cultural events are conducted in villages later, as a part of this celebration after the delicious lunch.
Third Day - Maatu Pongal
M a a t u p o n g a l is celebrated to worship the cattle. On this day, cows are decorated with garlands and vermilion and are fed with food prepared as an offering. Cows are considered as God and as a gratitude for providing us milk, they are worshiped on this day. The main attraction of this day is the bullfight or "Jallikattu" which is organized in the villages. People who subdue the ferocious bulls are rewarded with coins.
Kanu or Kanum pongal - Fourth day
K a n u m P o n g a l is celebrated to worship Sun God as a gratitude for the harvest. A significant tradition on this day is, women placing the leftover sweet Pongal and other dishes with turmeric and sugarcane on a banana leaf in their courtyard as an offering for the birds and crows. While the women of the family place the rice on the leaf, the brothers of the family are asked to keep the other dishes on the leaf for their prosperity. Finally, an aarti is performed which marks the end of this four day celebration.
Pongal is not just a harvest festival for farmers, but a celebration of unity and peace by all Tamilians. Welcoming a new beginning by destroying all old things on Bhogi, a prayer offered for flourishing prosperity in the new year by preparing Pongal on Thai Pongal, worshiping cattle on Maatu Pongal and worshiping the Sun God, the giver of all prosperity and seeking his blessings on the Kanum Pongal.Each day thus marks its own significance. There are many legendary anecdotes associated with each day, yet, the underlying theme of the festival remains the same.
Let the abundance of love and peace spread around with these celebrations.
Every year, before the crimson sun tore up, the last misty darkness of a c h i l l i n g winter night, down the bank of Ganga, thousands of people did gather to offer obeisance to their revered ancestors.
This festival of M a k a r S a n k r a n t i, marking the start of the month Magh after crossing the inauspicious month of Poush, is now celebrated all over south-east Asia to mark the happiness and gratitude for the year's good harvest.
It is observed under d i f f e r e n t names with d i s t i n g u i s h e d rituals in different parts of India and its surrounding countries. In north India, it is called Makar Sankranti, while South India calls it Pongal. In West India it is known as Maghi, while Gujarat knows it as Uttarayan. Nepal says its Maghe Sankranti and Thailand celebrates Songkran.
It is celebrated with great vigor all over the country with people taking ritual bath in holy rivers and making special delicacies to suit the occasion. People gather at the river banks to perform tarpan for their forefathers.
K i t e s are flown with admirable enthusiasm by children and grown-ups alike. This is one occasion where the bar of ages is dissolved in bright laughter emerging from the eager crowds assembled in the open fields. This tradition is mostly practiced in Maharashtra and Gujarat.
People d o n a t e food and old clothes to the needy. In Uttar Pradesh, it is an old custom to donate khichdi to the poor and hungry. In other parts of the country there is a general tradition of discarding old stuff marking the start of a n e w h a r v e s t s e a s on. The houses are cleaned and rangolis are drawn in the courtyards. The real beauty of this festival can only be witnessed in the little isolated villages of India, where the people welcome the season with singing, dancing and other festivities.
The d e l i c a c i e s attributed to this day include, sesame Laddoos,Kurmure Chikki and Gulachi Poli from Maharashtra, Paatishaapta and Puli Pitha from Bengal, Sakkarai Pongal from Tamil Nadu, Til Chikki from Gujarat, Rewari from Punjab and Til Pitha from Assam.
These, paired with the immense joy of the r e u n i o n of a vast extended family make Makar Sankrati a festival marked with happiness and enjoyment.
Thus, wishing you a very happy P o n g a l and M a k a r S a n k r a n t i. May the day give you many happy memories to cherish.
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