Pongal Festival is Coming on 15 January 2016 and second day of Uttrayan.
About Pongal
Pongal is the only festival of Hindu that follows a solar calendar and
is celebrated on the fourteenth of January every year. Pongal has
astronomical significance: it marks the beginning of Uttarayana, the
Sun’s movement northward for a six month period. In Hinduism, Uttarayana
is considered auspicious, as opposed to Dakshinaayana, or the southern
movement of the sun. All important events are scheduled during this
period. Makara Sankranthi refers to the event of the Sun entering the
zodiac sign of Makara or Capricorn.
In Hindu temples bells, drums, clarinets and conch shells herald the
joyous occasion of Pongal. To symbolize a bountiful harvest, rice is
cooked in new pots until they boil over. Some of the rituals performed
in the temple include the preparation of rice, the chanting of prayers
and the offering of vegetables, sugar cane and spices to the gods.
Devotees then consume the offerings to exonerate themselves of past
sins.
southern state of India. For as long as people have been planting and
gathering food, there has been some form of harvest festival. Pongal,
one of the most important popular Hindu festivals of the year. This
four-day festival of thanksgiving to nature takes its name from the
Tamil word meaning “to boil” and is held in the month of Thai
(January-February) during the season when rice and other cereals,
sugar-cane, and turmeric (an essential ingredient in Tamil cooking) are
harvested.
festival, Pongal, falls typically on the 14th or the 15th of January and
is the quintessential ‘Tamil Festival’. Pongal is a harvest festival, a
traditional occasion for giving thanks to nature, for celebrating the
life cycles that give us grain. Tamilians say ‘Thai pirandhaal vazhi
pirakkum’, and believe that knotty family problems will be solved with
the advent of the Tamil month Thai that begins on Pongal day. This is
traditionally the month of weddings. This is not a surprise in a largely
agricultural community – the riches gained from a good harvest form the
economic basis for expensive family occasions like weddings.
The First Day
the supreme ruler of clouds that give rains. Homage is paid to Lord
Indra for the abundance of harvest, thereby bringing plenty and
prosperity to the land. 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 significance of
the bonfire, in which is burnt the agricultural wastes and firewood is
to keep warm during the last lap of winter.
The Second Day
performed when rice is boiled in milk outdoors in a earthenware pot and
is then symbolically offered to the sun-god along with other oblations.
All people wear traditional dress and markings, and their is an
interesting ritual where husband and wife dispose off elegant ritual
utensils specially used for the puja. In the village, the Pongal
ceremony is carried out more simply but with the same devotion. In
accordance with the appointed ritual a turmeric plant is tied around the
pot in which the rice will be boiled. The offerings include the two
sticks of sugar-cane in background and coconut and bananas in the dish. A
common feature of the puja, in addition to the offerings, is the kolam,
the auspicious design which is traditionally traced in white lime
powder before the house in the early morning after bathing.
The Third Day
The third day is known as Mattu Pongal, the day of Pongal for cows.
Multi-colored beads, tinkling bells, sheaves of corn and flower garlands
are tied around the neck of the cattle and then are worshiped. They are
fed with Pongal and taken to the village centers. The resounding of
their bells attract the villagers as the young men race each other’s
cattle. The entire atmosphere becomes festive and full of fun and
revelry. Arati is performed on them, so as to ward off the evil eye.
According to a legend, once Shiva asked his bull, Basava, to go to the
earth and ask the mortals to have an oil massage and bath every day and
to eat once a month. Inadvertently, Basava announced that everyone
should eat daily and have an oil bath once a month. This mistake enraged
Shiva who then cursed Basava, banishing him to live on the earth
forever. He would have to plough the fields and help people produce more
food. Thus the association of this day with cattle.
The Fourth Day
The Fourth day is known as Knau or Kannum Pongal day. On this day, a
turmeric leaf is washed and is then placed on the ground. On this leaf
are placed, the left overs of sweet Pongal and Venn Pongal, ordinary
rice as well as rice colored red and yellow, betel leaves, betel nuts,
two pieces of sugarcane, turmeric leaves, and plantains. In Tamil Nadu
women perform this ritual before bathing in the morning. 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.
Happy Pongal to all!
We thank sun for burning himself to save us.
We thank plants sacrificing their life for us.
And we thank all the creatures helping us to live in this world for some time.
Thalaipongal thirunalum,
Pongivarum pongal pola
Engum pongattum magizhchi
Iniya pongal nalvaazhthukkal!
Lets we all prepare for the pongal,
All member of family be there…
And say..Pongal O Pongala together..
Its day of God Sun, day to worship him
And day to see the miracle…
The virtue of God Sun,
His rays those are spectacle…
Happy Pongal to you………
God Sugarcane to cow and ox
And milk to friends and family
have a happy pongal and a prosperous year ahead
