Pongal Weekend

To put it another way, the long weekend is arriving. Pongal, the harvest and thanksgiving festival of Tamil Nadu and Tamils worldwide, falls on the weekend, with the first day as Bhogi; Pongal, Mattu Pongal, Kaanum Pongal, and Ulavar Thirunaal to follow, and is a significant festival time in Tamil Nadu. 

Each day has its significant reason to celebrate. Bhogi was observed on the concept of "the old goes away, and the new comes in," which means getting rid of the old and undesired things in our homes and lives and replacing them with the new, or letting out things to breathe fresh. People traditionally light a fire outside their homes on this day and burn undesired items in it, but lately, the practice of burning things has decreased, thanks to public awareness of the environment and pollution and the prohibition on burning tires and plastic items.

Pongal, the important festival of the series, takes place on the second day (Jan. 15), thanking the natural elements and farmers that give us life and progress in them. If nature provides us with the source, it is the farmers, who transform it into our life support, just like our two eyes, which have to work correctly to see a clear picture of life. On this day, people gather in the open to boil milk and rice in an earthen pot and worship the sun as the source of light and energy for everyone's well-being and future.

From the beginning, cattle have always been the only source of support in our farming, and it's a difficult question to answer if they aren't. So there is no farming without the cattle, especially the bulls, whose muscular pull gives rise to our grains; their dung is the best natural supply of fertilizer to yield abundantly. Farming and cattle are inextricably linked, and even though we are technologically advanced and have machines for every job, to coin the phrase, "old is gold," there is still a demand for them for organic farming. And dedicating a day to cattle is both appropriate and necessary to send a message to the world about the significance of cattle, and our relationship with the species is known as Mattu Pongal or Bull Pongal. 

Finally, the Kaanum Pongal arrives, a much-anticipated day for families and friends to get together and have fun. On this day, folks pack a lunch and go on a pleasant and entertaining journey to tourist attractions, beaches, and the banks of rivers and lakes. Farmers and workaholics take time off from their jobs to be with family and friends. So the four-day festival encompasses things that we may be grateful for and cherish all year: the worth of food and its evolution, and thinking and longing for time together. Happy Pongal to everyone!