Pongal

Pongal/ Lohri, Makar Sankranti/Magh Bihu/Uttarayan/Sankranti/Poush Sankranti

This is a Winter multiday Hindu harvest festival celebrated all over India with some regional variations. As per the Gregorian calendar, this winter festival  is celebrated every January 13 to 16 every year. This festival marks a period of plenty, peace, and happiness. This symbolizes the end of winter solstice and north movement of the Sun into Capricorn (Uttarayan). The days are now getting longer and long nights are behind us. This cluster of festivals is a thanksgiving to nature.
   In Assam and north east, this is the time for Magha Bihu celebrated by flying kites, making special foods include til-gud (sesame seeds- Jaggery) laddu, Khichadi, and offering prayers in gratitude.
   In the Sindhi and Punjabi community, and states of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu-Kashmir, and Haryana it is celebrated as Lohri. This is followed by Makar Sankranti. This is celebrated by community holy Bonfire where folks sing, dance around this bonfire. Some special foods include  Gazak, kheel, moongphali ( peanuts), popcorn.
     Pongal/Thai Pongal  or Surya Pongal is multi day Hindu harvest festival celebrated by Tamilian community all over India and across the world. The intent of Pongal is giving thanks to nature. Pongal is derived from the Tamil word “ Pongu” means overflow or boil over. It is traditionally celebrated by cooking new rice with lentil in pot until they overflow. The overflow or the boil over symbolizes abundance and prosperity.
      My first true exposure and knowledge of Pongal was in 2023 when we visited my sister in law home. This description of Pongal festivities are described as they are celebrated at my home in Tamil Nadu. There may be variations depending on each house hold and per region.

Day 1 Bhogi
This is the first day of the festival. Traditionally People clean their home thoroughly and in the evening all the unwanted goods are discarded and  are burnt in a bonfire. In  my family home, we do not do the bonfire. We clean the house, the pooja area and getting the home ready for the next day food preparation and pooja. For the dishes that will be used to make the pongal Tie the manjal kothu around the pot. Draw three lines with wet viboodhi (pattai) and keep a kumkum dot on the pot.

Day2  Thai Pongal/ Surya Pongal/Perum Pongal
This is the second and most important day dedicated to worship of Surya, the Sun God and his consorts. This is first day of the Tamil Calendar. Thai Pongal is also celebrated as Makar Sankranti in many part of India. All households decorate their courtyards with beautiful Kolam. Kolam is traditional colorful artwork done using rice flour along with natural/synthetic color powders. Pongal is made with freshly harvested rice with milk, ghee and raw cane sugar. There are two dishes significant during Pongal. The sweet Pongal or Chakkarai Pongal and Savoury Pongal or Venn Pongal.
        Chakkarai Pongal is made with rice, moong dal cooked with ghee, milk, nuts and jaggery.
        Venn Pongal is made with rice, moong dal, ghee and spices including curry leaves, pepper corn, ginger, green chilies and Cumin.
Traditionally, Pongal is made on stone stoves in either earthen pots or special pots It is customary to allow the Pongal to boil over and everyone  says ” Pongalo Pongal”. The boiling over signifies abundance, happiness and prosperity. The celebration and cooking can be as simple or as extensive as your family wants. In my sister in law’s home, we start the day with my nieces making the Kolam early in the morning. This is followed by cooking Sambar, a Poriyal with 9 vegetables, Medu Vada, Venn Pongal and Chakkarai Pongal. After all the food is made, it is placed on the traditional banana leaf for offering or Neivedyam. We all join together offer our gratitude and prayer.

Day 3 Mattu Pongal
This is the third of the festival and is the celebration of the cattle.  The word “Mattu” means ‘Cow”.  This day includes  prayers offering gratitude to the cows, buffalos as they are used to plough the lands. In some parts of Tamil Nadu,there is an interesting community sport event called Jallikattu or taming of the bull.

Day 4 Kaanum Pongal or Kanu Pongal
This is the is final culmination of the harvest festivals. Kaanum means to visit or to view. On this day, most families visit and hold reunions. It is considered an auspicious day to start new bonds, relationships.

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