Pongal

[Guest guest]

The great diversity of Indian religious beliefs and the varied

cultured traditions of the different states are very interesting and

this is seen in the festival of Pongal.

 

"May the pot of prosperity boil over

May the Pongal that we cook,

the fragrance of turmeric

the taste of sugarcane, ginger and honey

Bring the joy of Pongal into our homes

May the blessings of the Sun God flood our lives.

 

With many other verses like this the people of Tamil Nadu greet the

great festival of Pongal celebrated all over the South as Makar

Sankranti, in Tamil Nadu it has an additional significance as Pongal

welcomes the occasion of the incoming harvest.

 

The Puranas, usually prolific in legends connected with festivals,

have little to say about this Pongal festival. It is in all

probability a Dravidian harvest festival that has survived the

preponderant influence of the Indo-Aryan religion in the South.

 

There is a beautiful Tamil composition of the ancient Sangam period

which was known for the ancient Tamil Academics. This charming

composition describes the joy of a love-born young woman on the

return of her husband from the battlefield. Her happiness is likened

to the month before Pongal. When, with the end of rains, the "kaya"

flowers blossom, the tender `Konrai' flowers shower their golden

polen on the ground, the white "kandal" flowers blossom, the tender

`Konrai' plant is in full bloom and with receding clouds the female

and male deer are making love in the fields. This poem describes the

mood of anticipation and excitement of the people in Tamil Nadu which

gets its main rains from the north-eastern monsoon in October and

November and the harvest is gathered in the period just preceding

this Pongal festival.

 

This festival of Pongal falls in the month of January after the

winter solistice and as such this Pongal festival marks the

favourable course of the Sun. It is a three-day festival and the

fourth day is a day for outdoors and excursions.

 

The first day is celebrated as the BHOGI PONGAL and is usually meant

for domestic activities and of being together with the family

members. This first day is celebrated in honour of Lord Indra, 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.

 

An interesting story is told that Indra, being worshipped by all on

this day, became proud and arrogant Lord Krishna to teach him a

lesson asked his shepherd friends to worship Mount Govardhan instead

of Indra on Bhogi Pongal day. Terribly enraged, Indra sent forth the

seven clouds to bring forth thunder, lightning and heavy rains to

cause deluge to destroy the shepherds. But Lord Krishna lifted up the

Govardhan mountain under which the shepherds and their cattle got

full shelter. Then Indra begged Krishna's forgiveness and once more

Lord Krishna allowed Bhogi celebrations to continue in honour of

Indra. There is a beautiful carving at Mahabalipuram showing Krishna

lifting Govardhan.

 

On this day before sunrise a huge bonfire is lit in front of the

houses and all the useless household things are thrown into the fire.

The burning of all that is old is symbolic of the starting of a fresh

new year. The bonfire is kept burning throughout the night while boys

beat little drums known by the name "Bhogi Kottus" made from the

hides of buffaloes.

 

Homes are cleaned till they literally shine and are adorned

with "Kolam" designs drawn with white paste of newly-harvested rice

and outlines of the Kolam designs with red mud. In villages yellow

pumpkin flowers are set out in cow-dung balls in the middle of the

designs. The harvest of rice, turmeric and sugarcane is brought in

and kept ready for the next day's festivities.

 

The second day of Pongal is known as SURYA PONGAL and is dedicated to

the Sun God. On this day the granaries are full, sun shines brightly,

trees are in full bloom, bird-songs resound in the air and hearts

overflow with happiness that get translated into colourful and joyous

celebrations. A plank is placed on the ground and Kolam designs are

drawn on its sides. In the centre of the plank is drawn a large

figure of the Sun God with his effulgent rays. The "Puja" of the Sun

God starts after the auspicious moment of the birth of the new month

THAI. Prayers are rendered to the Sun God to seek his benedictions.

 

The word `Pongal' literally has two connotations. Firstly it is the

name of the special dish cooked on this day and secondly the

word "Ponga" means "boil". So the word 'Pongal' means that which is

overflowing. The preparation of this special dish needs a new mud-pot

called Pongapani on which artistic designs are drawn. The village

fair where these pots of different shapes and designs are sold is

truly an aesthetic treat for the eyes to behold as also the specially

set up colourful sugarcane market. While the `Puja' is being

performed, the neck of the Pongapani is tied with fresh turmeric and

fresh ginger saplings with tender green leaves. The green leaves are

symbolic of prosperity, the turmeric of auspiciousness, ginger for

the spice of life. The special dish called "Sarkkarai Pongal" is

cooked in this mud-pot. After the rituals of puja are over "Sarkkarai

Pongal" with sticks of sugarcane is offered to the Sun god as a

thanksgiving for the plentiful harvest. Sugarcane that is offered is

symbolic for sweetness and happiness in life. It is said that on this

day Lord Sundareshwar in the Madurai temple performed a miracle and

breathed life into a stone elephant who could eat sugarcane. The

carving of this event is in Meenakshi temple. From this month of THAI

starts the marriage season in Tamil Nadu.

 

The THIRD day is MATTU PONGAL which is the festival of cattle. To the

village people cow, the giver of milk and the bull which draws the

plough in the fields are very valuable and therefore the farmers

honour their dumb friends by celebrating it as a day of thanks-giving

to them. The cattle are washed, their horns are painted and covered

with shining metal caps. Multi-coloured beads, tinkling bells, sheafs

of corn and flower garlands are tied around their necks. They are fed

with pongal and taken to the village centres. 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. Big commotion is seen when the game "Manji Virattu" starts

in which groups of young men chase the running bulls.

 

In some places "Jallikattu" is arranged. It is a bull-fight in which

money bags are tied to the horns of ferocious bulls and unarmed young

men are asked to wrest them from the bull's horns.

 

On the Mattu Pongal day Lord Ganesh and Goddess Parvati are

worshipped and Pongal is offered to them in the `puja'.

 

This day is also known by the name of Kanu Pongal when coloured balls

of cooked rice are placed in the open air by girls for the birds and

crows to eat. With each ball of rice that the sister makes she prays

for her brother's happiness and the brothers and sisters wherever

they may be remember each other.

 

Community dinners are also held when rich and poor, the landlord and

the peasant, the old and the young, women and children all dine

together forgetting the distinction of caste or class. All share in

the spirit of fonhomic.

 

Pongal is a festival when god is praised with a simple faith and

sincerity. Old vices are all washed out and all that is good is

welcomed in this New year. This festival is of all living things, of

man, his beast and his crop and of the birds that fly in the sky

making man look up to the heaven in joy and thankfulness to God for

everything that He gives to man specially peace and happiness and the

feeling of brotherhood.

 

>From www.bawarchi.com

 

 

>From other net sources :

 

Like many other Indian festivals, Pongal also has a few interesting

legends attached to it signifying the importance it holds. The most

popular legend is the one connected to the first day of the Pongal

celebration when the Rain God, Bhogi or Indra is worshipped.

According to the legend, on this day Lord Krishna lifted the

Govardhan Mountain on his little finger to shelter his people and

save them from being washed away by the rains and floods.

Another legend is associated with the third day of Pongal

celebration, also known as Mattu Pongal. According to it, Lord Shiva

once asked Nandi, his bull, to go to earth and deliver his message to

the people - to have an oil bath every day, and food once a month.

But Nandi got it all mixed up when he delivered the message, and told

the people that Shiva asked them to have an oil bath once a month,

and eat every day. Shiva was displeased, and told Nandi that since

the people would now need to grow more grain, Nandi would have to

remain on earth and help them plough the fields. Mattu Pongal is also

called Kanu Pongal, and women pray for the welfare of their brothers.

This is similar to the festivals of Raksha Bandhan and Bhai Dooj

celebrated in some states of North India.

Pongal is an important festival in India, and we pray to the Sun God

on this occasion. In North India, it is known as Sankaranthi. The sun

is very powerful and helps in the growth of the paddy and other

plantations. So this festival is very important for farmers and so it

is celebrated in a grand manner in villages. The house is cleaned,

and all maintanance jobs are done before this festival. During the

four day festival, different varieties of Rangoli are drawn in front

of the houses early in the morning.

 

Bhogi

The celebrations start on the last day of Margazhi, which is known

as "Bhogi". On this day, we get up very early in the morning, take

head bath. We place all the trash in front of the house and inflame

it. We dispose old and useless things from our house and replace with

new ones. Then we draw rangoli in front of the houses.

 

Pongal

Reaping of paddy is done. Using the new rice, the recipe "pongal" is

made and offered to God. The sun God moves in chariot driven by seven

horses.A picture of the chariot is drawn in an open space when the

sun arrives. A small sun is drawn at the center of the chariot. We

place turmeric sprigs and sugarcane in the pooja and pooja is done

onto the chariot. Then the dishes are offered to God. Once the pooja

is over, everyone in the house takes a small amount of Pongal and

sprinkles all over the house, saying "Pongalo Pongal". This is done

as a prayer to God to bless their houses.

 

Maatu Pongal

The next day is maattu Pongal - pongal for the cows. Cows are

worshipped on this day. Milk suppliers decorate the cows. They paint

the horns, apply colours and tie clothes on the cows. Then they take

the cows to all the houses.

 

Kaanum Pongal

People go out for places and enjoy this day. This is a day to spend

time and entertainment outside.

 

Hari Aum !!!

[Guest guest]

"In villages yellow pumpkin flowers are set out in cow-dung balls in

the middle of the designs."

 

Some people belief this cow-dung ball symbolises Ganapathy because,

among Hindus, nothing is done without worshipping Ganapathy first.

But, as the article says, Thai Pongal seems to be an ancient

Dravidian festival and most probably the cow-dung ball symbolises the

cow (maadu). The tamil word for cow also means wealth.

_/\_

Umakanth

 

, s_v_c_s <no_reply> wrote:

>

> The great diversity of Indian religious beliefs and the varied

> cultured traditions of the different states are very interesting

and

> this is seen in the festival of Pongal.