village festival

What is Pongal ?

Pongal is the only festival of Hindu that follows a solar calendar and is celebrated on the fourteenth of January every year. Pongal has astronomical significance: it marks the beginning of Uttarayana, the Sun's movement northward for a six month period. In Hinduism, Uttarayana is considered auspicious, as opposed to Dakshinaayana, or the southern movement of the sun. All important events are scheduled during this period. Makara Sankranthi refers to the event of the Sun entering the zodiac sign of Makara or Capricorn.

In Hindu temples bells, drums, clarinets and conch shells herald the joyous occasion of Pongal. To symbolize a bountiful harvest, rice is cooked in new pots until they boil over. Some of the rituals performed in the temple include the preparation of rice, the chanting of prayers and the offering of vegetables, sugar cane and spices to the gods. Devotees then consume the offerings to exonerate themselves of past sins.

Pongal signals the end of the traditional farming season, giving farmers a break from their monotonous routine. Farmers also perform puja to some crops, signaling the end of the traditional farming season. It also sets the pace for a series of festivals to follow in a calendar year. In fact, four festivals are celebrated in Tamil Nadu for four consecutive days in that week. 'Bogi' is celebrated on January 13, 'Pongal' on Jan 14, 'Maattuppongal' on Jan 15, and 'Thiruvalluvar Day' on Jan 16.

The festival is celebrated for four days. On, the first day, Bhogi, the old clothes and materials are thrown away and fired, marking the beginning of a new life. The second day, the Pongal day, is celebrated by boiling fresh milk early in the morning and allowing it to boil over the vessel - a tradition that is the literal translation for Pongal. People also prepare savories and sweets, visit each other's homes, and exchange greetings. The third day, Mattu Pongal, is meant to offer thanks to the cows and buffaloes, as they are used to plough the lands. On the last day, Kanum Pongal, people go out to picnic.

A festival called Jalli kathu is held in Madurai, Tiruchirapalli and Tanjavur,all in Tamil Nadu, on this day. Bundles of money are tied to the horns of Pongal ferocious bulls which the villagers try to retrieve. Everyone joins in the community meal, at which the food is made of the freshly harvested grain. This day is named and celebrated as Tamilian Tirunal in a fitting manner through out Tamil Nadu.

Thus, the harvest festival of Pongal symbolizes the veneration of the first fruit. The crop is harvested only after a certain time of the year, and cutting the crop before that time is strictly prohibited. Even though Pongal was originally a festival for the farming community, today it is celebrated by all. In south India, all three days of Pongal are considered important. However, those south Indians who have settled in the north usually celebrate only the second day. Coinciding with Makara Sankranti and Lohri of the north, it is also called Pongal Sankranti.

During this entire festive season women decorate their ‘vaakili’ (the entrance to the house/front porch) with ‘muggu/kolam/rangoli’ of varied hues and sizes and place Gobbemmalu (small balls made from cow dung and decorated with marigold and pumpkin flowers) in the center. Muggulu are artistic intricate patterns drawn with hand on a washed surface using rice flour or chalk powder and decorated with colors and flowers and bring out the richness and uniqueness of Indian tradition and culture. Every muggu is reflective of the art and artistic capabilities that each woman possesses and is a celebration of life. Here’s a picture of a simple ‘Muggu’ which my 3 year old help color this evening..:)

In the evening many homes with children (below 4-5 years) arrange Bommala Kolluvu (arrangement of an array of toys and dolls) and Bhogipalla perentam (a gathering of women guests and relatives) where a mixture of regi pandlu(berries),senagalu (soaked and drained whole chick peas), flower petals, slices of sugar cane and small coins are showered over the heads of children dressed in new clothes to trickle down the blessings of elders, family and friends and remove ‘dhristi ‘(protect from any evil eye). All the guests and relatives who are invited for the Perentamu are given a gift pack of assorted items (tambulam) which includes clothes, lentils, betel leaves, betel nuts, bananas, traditional sweets,flowers, turmeric and kumkuma.

Another great sight in every village during Sankranti is a decorated bull with multi-coloured attire moving from one house to another led by its master who plays the nadaswaram (flute) to the accompaniment of the dol (a drum). The ‘gangireddi’ is trained to perform a variety of feats like nodding in acceptance, kneeling and bowing down and even dancing! You will find the decorated bull going around each home here in the city too during the festival season.Old clothes, raw rice and money are given away to the gangireddula vadu (bull’s master) in charity on the occasion of Sankranti. Here’s a picture of a fully adorned gangireddu with his gangireddi vaallu (masters) performing a feat in front of my ammamma’s (grandmother)home.

                         

Bhogimantalu, traditional oil bath, muggullu decorated with gobbellu, preparation of traditional sankranti sweets and savouries like ariselu and bobattulu (variety of sweet rice cakes), jantikulu(savoury made with chick pea flour), paalakaayulu (rice flour savoury), semai payasam (sweet vermicilli dessert), paramannam (sweet rice pudding), pulihora (tamarind rice ), masala vada (deep fried lentil dumplings) and many more, new clothes & gifts given to house-hold helps and Bommala Kolluvu are the main features of Bhogi Panduga (festival). Picture of our Bhogi lunch spread(Vindu Bhojanam) on a plaintain leaf.