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Pongal Festival – A Harvest Festival Of India
The vast and incredible country that is India is divided by languages but united by festivals. It is these festivals that rise above the narrow confines of religion and language which hold the country together in a common thread. Pongal festival may be a festival that is celebrated mainly in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, but variations of the festival can be seen across the country. The Pongal festival is a harvest festival of India. It is a celebration of the season’s harvest. Thanksgiving to the nature Gods and a prayer for bounty and prosperity.
India is an agricultural country with a ranking of number one in the world in terms of net cropped area. Given such a scenario and a history of agrarian economy, the harvest festival is celebrated in various forms throughout the country. The Hindu festivals are replete with festivals that celebrate the harvest. If it is celebrated as the Pongal festival in Tamil Nadu, it is celebrated as Makar Sankranti in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and even other states of India. Maharashtra celebrates the festival as Gudi Padwa while the state of Assam erupts in the celebration of Bhogali Bihu also known as Magh Bihu. In Gujarat, it is called Uttarayan where people fly kites on this day. The names may be different but the spirit of all the festivals remain the same.
The Pongal Festival is one of the important ones amongst the colorful festivals of India and it is really interesting to delve deep into the intricacies of this festival.
Why is the Pongal Festival Celebrated
The Pongal festival is celebrated to mark the first harvest of the year and is deeply rooted in the agrarian culture of the country. The Tamil Nadu festival is celebrated throughout the state of, including the urban centers with great enthusiasm and fervor. The festival is spread over four days and is celebrated in the Tamilian calendar month of Thai which falls in January of the Gregorian Calendar.
How is the Pongal Festival Celebrated?
Pongal festival which is a ritualistic thanksgiving for the harvest is the main festival of Tamil Nadu. Sounds of Pongal O Pongal rent the air as the vessel containing the traditional sweet dish also known as Pongal literally boils over. The literal meaning of Pongal is, “to boil”, and the traditional ritual of cooking Pongal which is a sweet dish of rice and lentils forms an important part of the 4-day Pongal festival.
Bhogi Pongal – A New Beginning
The first day of the Pongal festival is celebrated as Bhogi Pongal which marks a fresh beginning. This is the day when old household articles, and other old items, as well as waste generated from agriculture, are burnt in a bonfire. The bonfire is known as Bhogi Mantalu. These bonfires dot the squares and houses of villages, towns, and cities across Tamil Nadu. The fires consist of wood and dried cow dung. The tradition of Bhogi Mantalu is similar to that of the Holika Dahan in the northern parts of India. The genesis of this practice may also be attributed to scientific reasons as the burning of the old material provided a good way of waste disposal. The day of Bhogi Pongal is also the day when Indra, the God of Rain is worshipped in gratitude for rain that facilitated a good harvest.
Thai Pongal – Paying Obeisance To The Sun
The second day of the Pongal festival is celebrated as Thai Pongal. This is the day that is dedicated to the worship of the Sun God. It is interesting to note that the natural forces of rain and sun are important for a good crop and this was known far back in ancient times and forms a part of the festivals and culture. Rice is cooked in earthen pots in the open on this day. Milk is boiled and when it boils over rice grains from the new crop is added to the overflowing milk to chants of Pongalo Pongal and the blowing of conch shells. This in effect is a symbolic offering of the first crop to the Sun God.
Thai Pongal also is an occasion to decorate the homes with colorful rangoli designs known as Kollam. It is a day to adorn oneself in the colorful best and meet friends and relatives and exchange greetings.
Mattu Pongal – Showing Gratitude To The Four Legged Friends
Traditional agrarian culture recognizes the bond and harmony between Man and animals. Mattu Pongal is the day when the contribution of the cattle is acknowledged and they are worshipped. Another very interesting and sweet tradition is that of girls and younger women feeding birds with colored rice, Pongal, cooked vegetables etc. Crows too are fed on this day and women pray for the enduring relationship between brothers and sisters emulating the strong ties that prevail among crows. These rituals are known as ‘Kanu Pidi’, and ‘Kaka Pidi’. Cattle are bathed and decorated with garlands, their horns are painted in bright colors, and they are fed with Pongal, honey, jaggery, bananas, and other fruits.
Kaanum Pongal – An Occasion For Socializing
The Pongal festival concludes on the fourth day with the celebration of what is known as Kaanum Ponga. The word Kaanum translates as, “to visit”, and as the name itself signifies, the day is spent in visiting each other’s homes and conveying best wishes for a happy and prosperous year. Gifts are exchanged and in general air of joyous camaraderie prevails. The mood of celebration is witnessed in the colorful way that the homes are decorated, in the new clothes that children flaunt, and the sweetness of the numerous dishes prepared specially for the occasion. Hope and joy seem to pervade the very air itself as men, women, and children revel in the celebrations.
To get an authentic experience of this Indian festival – Pongal Festival, the best places to visit during Pongal are Madurai, Coimbatore, Thanjavur, and Salem in Tamil Nadu.
How to Reach Tamil Nadu in India?
Book cheap flights and hotels here.
The Pongal Festival one of the South Indian festivals and just one of the many festivals that are part of India’s culture. The sheer range and variety of the Indian festivals is a sheer joy to behold and experience.
If you want to know more about the festivals of India you can check out some of our other posts on the topic.
Have you been a part of the Pongal celebration in Tamil Nadu? Do let us know through our comments section.
Happy Pongal to all our dear readers. May your life overflow with happiness and prosperity just like the vessel overflowing with Pongal.
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Pongal is another name for Makar Sankranti at west Bengal and we too celebrate it flying Kite.. This is really one of the most colourful harvest festivals of India celebrated for 4 days.
Pongal is a popular festival in India especially in a few states. I would like to explore this amazing Indian festival.
India is a land of diverse culture, and we have heard that line to death. Pongal is a four-day-long harvest festival which is celebrating such beautifully. Thanks for giving such information about the festival pongal
This is a very fascinating read! I’ll admit that I had never heard of the Pongal Festival before. I love learning about other cultures, so I enjoyed reading about the purpose of the customs of this festival.
Thanks for sharing information on the festival. What gorgeous faces of the girls in the photo. January would be a good time to visit to enjoy the festival, I will certainly keep it in mind.
I love these festivals that are dedicated to a celebration of the harvest! They are always so colorful and awake a lot of emotions among the viewers. The one in Pongal sure seems like one I would definitely want to experience someday.
India is so rich in culture and traditions. Every festival has in depth meaning. Thanks for sharing about Pongal. Lovely pics too.
This was very interesting! I have never heard of the Pongal festival before, and I love to learn about new cultures and traditions. It looks like a beautiful and colourful celebration. I had to look from the map where this is located, thanks for the detailed info about how to reach places where this is done. It would be just great to be able taste all those foods prepared for this festival.
Wow, this festival looks great! India seems to have so many different celebrations and festivals. I like the idea of showing gratitude to the animals, its such a lovely idea.
What a detailed post! India has so many harvest festivals and Pongal is a really beautiful one. My son had Pongal celebrations in his school yesterday and has been asking me a hundred questions about the festival. I think this is a very good place to start. By the way, I had no idea Pongal literally meant “to boil over”. Thanks for that.
It was great to know about Pongal in such details. Last year I had visited Chennai during Navaratri and had seen the Golu there. It was a great experience. Would love to visit again during the Pongal!
It’s amazing to see how pongal and it’s variations are celebrated across India in different ways but on the same day. As a festival of harvest. It shows the unity in diversity in India and also that how important farming is in this country. Great read, you have detailed out the aspects of the festival very well.
After reading your story, I couldn’t help thinking if my country also have this kind of tradition. I think we have but in a most rural areas (not in the city). I would like to take part of it and thank the good nature for giving our farmers good harvest for the year.
My country does have its own tradition but I’m fascinated after reading this article. It’s a good practice to celebrate every after harvest to give thanks for the blessings that we receive. And yes, I love the food during festivals. It’s always extra special. I hope I can experience Pongal Festival too.