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How is Pongal celebrated

 
How is Pongal celebrated

Celebrated on the 14th January of every year, Pongal is a harvest festival of South India. Pongal means “boiling over” of milk and rice in the honour of the Sun God ‘Surya’. The festival of Pongal captures the essence of South Indian culture as a tribute to the sun and cattle for a good harvest.
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Pongal is the only festival in the Indian calendar that derives its name from the dish of sweetened rice. A harvest festival, it is celebrated in the state of Tamil Nadu, South India. It coincides with the festival ‘Makar Sankranthi’ celebrated all over India to rejoice the winter harvest.

Pongal, the biggest harvest festival of India is celebrated over four days. Create Free Online Invitations, ecards, greetings for Pongal

4 Days of Pongal Celebrations

Bhogi – The first day or the day preceding Pongal is called Bhogi. People discard old things on this day. They assemble in the evening to light bonfires and burn old used things. The house is cleaned, painted and decorated for the festival. The same day is celebrated in Punjab as Lohri.

Surya Pongal – The second day is celebrated as Surya Pongal and is the main festival day. On this day, people wear traditional clothes and perform the ceremonial ritual wherein rice and milk are boiled in earthenware pot and offered to the Sun God at sunrise to demonstrate gratitude for the good harvest.

There is a ritual of drawing kolam / rangoli, a decorative pattern made with rice flour outside every home. The Kolam welcomes guests, prosperity and the harvest festival. The entrance of the homes is decorated with banana and mango leaves.

Elders of the family give gifts to the young.

Maatu Pongal – The third day is Maatu Pongal and is felicitate the cattle. Thanks are offered to cows for ploughing our fields and providing milk. The cattle are given a bath and their horns are decorated. Multicoloured flower garlands are tied around their necks. They are fed the Pongal dish. In rural Tamil Nadu, adventurous games such as the Jallikkattu or taming the wild bull are features of the day.

Kanu Pidi is a tradition that is followed by sisters to pray for the well being of their brothers on this day of Maatu Pongal. Crows are fed coloured rice, cooked vegetables, banana and sweet pongal. It is hoped that the brother-sister ties may remain forever strong like the family of crows.

Kaanum Pongal – The fourth day of Pongal celebrations is known as Kaanum Pongal. The word kaanum means “to view”. This is the day for family reunions and exchanging gifts. Brothers bring gifts for their married sisters as affirmation of their filial love. Businessmen present gifts of food, clothes and money to their workforce. People visit relatives and friends to enjoy the festive season. In cities it is common for people to visit beaches and theme parks to have a day out with their families.
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