Pongal, the traditional festival of Tamils is left by two days. Tradition is something I always admire and I
believe everything has some scientific reasons behind our customs and
traditions what in later days turned relevant to faith. Pongal, the harvest
festival of south India is a thanksgiving to farmers, cattle’s and nature in
support of cultivation, though it is celebrated all over India in different
names and custom, the core intention was to stand up for the farmers who the
reason for our daily food.
A simple Pongal kolam or rangoli from the neighborhood, last year. |
I see Pongal brings new spirit to
life and by celebrating the festival I feel grateful for the farmers and
anything related to farming and food processing. ‘Suriya Pongal’ is another
aspect of the festival devoted to prime source Sun (Suriya-n) where the Pongal
pot is placed in open area where the sunlight falls, and by boiling the rice
from newly harvested crop is a way of thanking its light and energy fuelling in
cultivating crops. And ‘Thai Pongal’ is another term refers to Pongal which
meant the beginning of Tamil month Thai, according to Tamil calendar, and the
month when the harvest begins is believed to bring hope and ways to live with
harvested grains.
A earthen pot on firewood stove getting ready to cook Pongal, from the previous pongal festival a couple of years back. |
This year the Pongal extends into
the weekend, following Pongal, Maattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal on 15, 16 and 17
respectively to 18 and 19 as weekend. Though the holidays doesn’t going to do
anything with me or change across, but I could end up watching TV programs on
special days after try to make firewood Pongal in the balcony, just like the
previous year, and others could be the routine. One thing special about this
Pongal is I gonna watch the programs and movies in my new big Led TV. Lol
Though Pongal is a piece of cake
to us compared to villages and small towns where the celebration is whole, I
always try to connect the feel and think back the times at grandparents’ home
and visits to villages on Maattu (Bull) Pongal to take part in their
celebrations, where cattle’s are decorated and their shelters being cleaned and
worshiped and kids taking joy rides in bullock carts, to cherish myself to pick
up the energy to go further. I think a festival mood couldn’t be enrich unless
added some people to make my belief true that festivals are to be celebrated
together with people rather making it a custom to celebrate alone or mark it as
holidays only. I always wish to celebrate festivals along with people or at
least surrounded by dear ones. I wish people from India a Happy Pongal and
Makar Shankranti!
8 comments:
We have so much to celebrate in our big wide world. I enjoyed reading about this festival, Jeevan. I hadn't heard of it before.
Thank you so much for explaining the Pongal festival and its significance to us. I hope you have a very special and meaningful Pongal celebration.
The festival of Colors ! Advance Pongal wishes Jeevan
Thanks for explaning the Pongal festival, I never heard of this festival before. I hope you have a very nice celebration of the festival.
Wishing you and your family a very happy pongal :)
Destination Infinity
Fascinating information about celebrating Pongal ~ and wonderful photo of the earthenware pot on the burning wood ~ Happy Festival to you and your family ^_^
Happy Moments to You,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Hello Jeevan,
Thanks for sharing the Pongal Festival! I would think it is special to celebrate the festival in the traditional way. I wish you a Happy Pongal.
Wonderful!
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