Pongal / Makara Sankranti

PONGAL  /  MAKARA  SANKRANTI

Pongal is the most important Tamil Harvest Festival.  Thai Pongal is a four day festival which corresponds to the last day of the Tamil month Maargazhi to the third day of the Tamil month Thai. 

Pongal is also known as ‘Thamizhar Thirunaal’,  the festival of Tamizha.

Though Pongal is observed on the same day all over India, but the celebrations vary from place to place. Yet, bonfires and feasts are the common elements in Pongal celebration everywhere.  Pongal festival has strong regional flavours and is observed throughout India, and is most well known as Makara Sankranti / Lohri / Samkranti/ Magha Bihu / Tai Pongal / Uttarayana , in different places.

As the Sun moves towards the Uttarayana, the new configuration lends a touch of warmth to mother earth and is essentially a festival dedicated to the Sun God.

Bhogi :  First Day

The day preceding Pongal is called Bhogi.   On this day people discard old belongings and celebrate new possessions. The people assemble at dawn in Tamil Nadu to light a bonfire in order to burn the discards. Houses are cleaned, painted and decorated to give a festive look. The horns of oxen and buffaloes are painted in villages. In Tamil Nadu farmers keep medicinal herb (neem, avram, sankranti)in northeast corner of each fields, to prevent crops from diseases and pests.

A special puja is performed on the first day of Pongal before the cutting of the paddy. Farmers worship the sun and the earth by anointing their ploughs and sickles with sandal wood paste. It is with these consecrated tools that the newly-harvested rice is cut.

Pongal : Second Day

The main event, also known as Thai Pongal, takes place on the second of the four days.

In the Tamil language the word Pongal means "overflowing," signifying abundance and prosperity.

During the festival milk is cooked in a Pot made out of Mud or Bronze . When it starts to bubble and overflows out of the vessel, freshly harvested rice grains are added to the pot. At the same time other participants blow a conch called the sangu and shout "Pongalo Pongal”

Kolam /  Rangoli of Sun God is drawn , where we get Direct Sunrays and will be decorated with flowers  and Neivedhyam is offered.  Neivedhyam includes Sarkarai Pongal,  Sugar Cane , Medu Vadai, Rice , Dal,  Fruits .

The commencement of Thai paves the way for new opportunities.

People decorate their homes with banana and mango leaves and embellish the floor with decorative patterns drawn using rice flour. kolams/rangolis are drawn on doorsteps

Maatu Pongal : Third Day

Maatu Pongal is celebrated the day after Thai Pongal. Tamils regard cattle as sources of wealth for providing dairy products, fertilizer, and labor for plowing and transportation. On Maatu Pongal, cattle are recognized and afforded affectionately. Features of the day include games such as the Jallikkattu and taming wild bull.

Kanu Pidi is a tradition for women and young girls. Kolam will be drawn .  Turmeric Pillaiyar ( Turmeric Cone ) will be kept on it .  After lighting lamp , Betel leaf, betel nuts , fruits will be offered .  Camphor Haarathi and Turmeric Haarathi will be taken .

During Kanu Pidi women feed birds and pray for their brothers' well-being. As part of the "Kaka pidi, Kanu pidi" feast, women and girls place a feast of turmeric  rice ( made out of leftover rice from Pongal day ), sugar cane, cooked vegetables, banana and sweet pongal on 3 ginger or turmeric leaves for crows to share and enjoy. During this time, women offer prayers in the hope that brother-sister ties remain forever strong, as they do in a crow family.

Women also says, ..........காக்கா பிடி வைத்தேன், கன்றுப் பிடி வைத்தேன், காக்காய்க்கும், கன்றுக்கும் கல்யாணம், குருவிக்கெல்லாம் கொண்டாட்ட‍ம்,
காக்கா கூட்ட‍ம் கலைந்தாலும்,
எங்கள் கூட்ட‍ம் கலையக் கூடாது

On this day celebrants bathe and decorate their cattle with garlands. Cows are decorated with manjalthanni (turmeric water), Shikakai and oil,   apply kungumam (kumkum) to their foreheads, paint their horns, and feed them a mixture of venn pongal, jaggery, honey, banana and other fruits

Kaanum Pongal : Fourth Day

Kaanum Pongal, the fourth day of the festival, marks the end of Pongal festivities for the year. The word kaanum in this context means "to visit."

Brothers pay special tribute to their married sisters by giving gifts as affirmation of their filial love.

Celebrants chew sugar cane

The rituals, celebrations, prayers, community get-togethers and feasting associated with Pongal  / Makara Sankranti is only symbolic of a common thanks giving to Nature as represented by the Sun God, and in the process, the festivities embody a spirit of brotherhood, unity and gratitude, with family reunions and merry making generating  a lot of happiness , goodwill and cheer.

FEAST:

On the day of Bhogi :  Paruppu Poli and Paruppu Vadai are served along with rice, dal , Vegetables etc.

Paruppu Poli , 

Paruppu Vadai 

On the Day of Pongal :   Sarkarai Pongal , which is the main dish is offered to Lord Sun  along with Vadai , Rice, Dal , Sugar Cane, Fruits etc.





Sarkarai Pongal

Vadai

On the day of Kanu :  Mixed rice varieties are prepared ., like Tamarind rice, Sesame rice, Lemon rice, coconut rice , curd rice and are served along with Vadai , Mix Veg Kootu or Mor Kuzhambu.

 Tamarind Rice,

Sesame Rice,

 
Lemon Rice,

Coconut Rice ,

 Curd rice 

 Vadai ,

Mixed Veg Kuzhambu 

 Mor kuzhambu  

 { Maasa pirappu Tharpanam should be done by those who are regularly doing Tharpanam  }