Fw: [carnaticsangeetham] Pongolo Pongal - Pongattum Valaum

January 14, 2007

SrI :

Dear List Members :

This is the best and complete write up I have

seen in a long time about Pongal Festival and

its significance .This is being sent to you separately

With the kind permission of the Moderator of

the Carnatic Sangeetham group , it is my pleasure

to share this article with You .

More details on Pongal celebrations , the customs, the traditions

are available in the URL for the web pages on Pongal .Please refer

to them .The URL is :

http://www.Pongalfestival.org/meaning-significance.html

About KumbakOnam ( Thirukkudanthai ) and Pongal/Kanu Pidi

celebrations there referrd to in this article , this additional

information might be of interest You .

SampradhAyam at Sri SaarangapANi Temple ( Periya Koil) : Kanu Day

*********************************************************************************

Sri KomaLavalli ThAyAr is the divine consort of Lord SarangapANi

( AarAvamudhan for Swamy NammAzhwAr) . On the Kanu Pongal

day , She is Joined by DEvis of ChakrapANi and Raamachandra

to place the Kanu Pidi ( Colored Rice Balls) on the steps of

PoRRAmaRai PushkaraNai , where KomaLavalli incarnated

on a golden lotus and was raised by Hema Rishi and married

AarAvamudhan .

Sri KomaLavalli is Padi thNDA Pathni ( She would not step outside

the Temple Vaasal) . Hence , She will stay inside the gates of the western

gopuram and watch the archakar place the Kanu Pidis for Her .

This is an unforgettable scene . Those in and around KumbakONam

are fortunate ones to enjoy this sevai of Sri Vijayavalli ThAyAr of

ChakrapANi KOil , SithA PirAtti of Raaamar KOil and

Sri KOmaLavalli ThAyAr as the Hostess for the other two

" neighbors and friends" , who drop in on this day to meet

on the banks of PoRRAmaRai PushkaraNi .

Have a wonderful Pongal celebration !

Oppiliappan Koil V.Sadagopan

January 14, 2007

Dear Members :

This is the companion piece for the earlier

mail sent to you on Pongal Festival.

V.Sadagopan

Moderator , Oppiliappan , Malolan ,

SaraNagathy and Raama Bhakthi Lists .

http://www.sundarasimham.org

http://www.Thiruppavai.org

http://www.ibiblio.org/Sadagopan/ahobilavalli/ebooks.htm

http://www.Thiruppavai.org

Vanakkam enn inniya pongal nal vazlthukal.... Happy Pongal to all....

Meaning & Significance

People celebrating Pongal should be aware of the meaning & significance of the important rituals associated with this harvest festival. Pongal or Thai Pongal is also called Makara Sankaranthi, since it is celebrated on the first day of Thai when the Sun enters the Makara Rasi (Capricornus). This signals the end of winter and the onset of spring throughout the northern hemisphere. For the next six months, the days are longer and warmer. The period is referred to as Uttarayan Punyakalam and is considered auspicious. Legend has it that the Devas wake up after a six-month long slumber during this period. And so it is believed that those pass away during Uttarayana attain salvation. In fact, Bheeshma is believed to have waited for the dawn of Uttarayana before he gave up his life. Pongal is a four-day affair. The first day, Bhogi, is celebrated on the last day of the month of Margazhi. On this day, people decorate their homes. New vessels are bought and old and unwanted things burnt. Scholars have often compared Bhogi to the Indra Vizha celebrated by the Chola kings at Kaveripattinam, also known as Poompuhar. Indra Vizha was celebrated in honour of Lord Indra, also called Bhogi, the God of thunder and rain. The second day is Perum Pongal, the most important. It is also called Surya Pongal because people worship Surya, the Sun God and his consorts, Chaya and Samgnya. Women decorate the central courtyard of their homes with beautiful kolams, done with rice flour and bordered with red clay. The Pongal dish is cooked exactly at the moment when the new month is born. There are several legends associated with Perum Pongal. A sage named Hema prayed to Lord Vishnu on the banks of the Pottramarai tank in Kumbakonam. On Perum Pongal day, the lord is believed to have taken the form of Sarangapani and blessed the sage. Yet another legend has it that Lord Shiva performed a miracle where a stone image of an elephant ate a piece of sugarcane. The third day is Mattu Pongal, celebrated to glorify cattle that help farmers in a myriad ways. On this day, the cows are bathed and decorated with vermilion and garlands and fed. In certain villages in southern Tamil Nadu, a bullfight called manji-virattu is held in the evening. Bags of coins are tied to the sharpened horns of ferocious bulls that are let loose in an open ground. The young men of the village vie with each other to subdue the bull and grab the bags tied to the horns. In fact, in ancient Tamil literature, men had to subdue the bull in order to win the hand of a fair maiden and even Lord Krishna is believed to have defeated seven bulls before marrying Nappinnai. Unlike in the Spanish bullfights, in manji-virattu, the bull is never killed. Mattu Pongal has little significance to city folks. In most urban homes, the day is celebrated as Kannu Pongal. Special prayers are offered by women for the well-being of their brothers. The Tamils also remember the poet Tiruvalluvar, who was born on this. The last day is Kaanum Pongal. It is that part of the festival when families used to gather on the riverbanks and have a sumptuous meal (kootanchoru). It is also time for some traditional dances such as kummi and kolattam. In recent years, that day is celebrated as Uzhavar Tirunal in honor of farmers.

More pongal related .....visit - Courtesyhttp://www.pongalfestival.org/meaning-significance.html

January 14, 2007

Dear Members :

This is the companion piece for the earlier

mail sent to you on Pongal Festival.

V.Sadagopan

Moderator , Oppiliappan , Malolan ,

SaraNagathy and Raama Bhakthi Lists .

http://www.sundarasimham.org

http://www.Thiruppavai.org

http://www.ibiblio.org/Sadagopan/ahobilavalli/ebooks.htm

http://www.Thiruppavai.org

Vanakkam enn inniya pongal nal vazlthukal.... Happy Pongal to all....

Meaning & Significance

People celebrating Pongal should be aware of the meaning & significance of the important rituals associated with this harvest festival. Pongal or Thai Pongal is also called Makara Sankaranthi, since it is celebrated on the first day of Thai when the Sun enters the Makara Rasi (Capricornus). This signals the end of winter and the onset of spring throughout the northern hemisphere. For the next six months, the days are longer and warmer. The period is referred to as Uttarayan Punyakalam and is considered auspicious. Legend has it that the Devas wake up after a six-month long slumber during this period. And so it is believed that those pass away during Uttarayana attain salvation. In fact, Bheeshma is believed to have waited for the dawn of Uttarayana before he gave up his life. Pongal is a four-day affair. The first day, Bhogi, is celebrated on the last day of the month of Margazhi. On this day, people decorate their homes. New vessels are bought and old and unwanted things burnt. Scholars have often compared Bhogi to the Indra Vizha celebrated by the Chola kings at Kaveripattinam, also known as Poompuhar. Indra Vizha was celebrated in honour of Lord Indra, also called Bhogi, the God of thunder and rain. The second day is Perum Pongal, the most important. It is also called Surya Pongal because people worship Surya, the Sun God and his consorts, Chaya and Samgnya. Women decorate the central courtyard of their homes with beautiful kolams, done with rice flour and bordered with red clay. The Pongal dish is cooked exactly at the moment when the new month is born. There are several legends associated with Perum Pongal. A sage named Hema prayed to Lord Vishnu on the banks of the Pottramarai tank in Kumbakonam. On Perum Pongal day, the lord is believed to have taken the form of Sarangapani and blessed the sage. Yet another legend has it that Lord Shiva performed a miracle where a stone image of an elephant ate a piece of sugarcane. The third day is Mattu Pongal, celebrated to glorify cattle that help farmers in a myriad ways. On this day, the cows are bathed and decorated with vermilion and garlands and fed. In certain villages in southern Tamil Nadu, a bullfight called manji-virattu is held in the evening. Bags of coins are tied to the sharpened horns of ferocious bulls that are let loose in an open ground. The young men of the village vie with each other to subdue the bull and grab the bags tied to the horns. In fact, in ancient Tamil literature, men had to subdue the bull in order to win the hand of a fair maiden and even Lord Krishna is believed to have defeated seven bulls before marrying Nappinnai. Unlike in the Spanish bullfights, in manji-virattu, the bull is never killed. Mattu Pongal has little significance to city folks. In most urban homes, the day is celebrated as Kannu Pongal. Special prayers are offered by women for the well-being of their brothers. The Tamils also remember the poet Tiruvalluvar, who was born on this. The last day is Kaanum Pongal. It is that part of the festival when families used to gather on the riverbanks and have a sumptuous meal (kootanchoru). It is also time for some traditional dances such as kummi and kolattam. In recent years, that day is celebrated as Uzhavar Tirunal in honor of farmers.

More pongal related .....visit - Courtesyhttp://www.pongalfestival.org/meaning-significance.html

January 16, 2007

Dr.Sadagopan Swamin, You have highlited the 4 days functions of Pongal and the significance of each day. How Padithanda Pattini Komalavalli Thayar will enjoy pidi function has been described very well and those who have not gone to that place will like to see atleast once on the pongal day. good information. adiyen, nochalur seshadri sampth.

Bored stiff? Loosen up...Download and play hundreds of games for free on Games.