Pongal 2023 with Nephews

The Pongal festival weekend went well; however, we couldn't celebrate it in our traditional way of cooking Pongal on a firewood stove. Though mom cooked sweet Pongal in an earthen pot on the gas stove, the taste was not as expected. 

A couple of years ago, we celebrated the Pongal in the traditional style of cooking Pongal, outside the home, on the balcony, or courtyard of the former house on the ground floor, which gives a sense of appreciation for nature that provides us with life. As of now, the festival passes without leaving any special feeling; perhaps we are shifting gears to perceive it as another day.

Unlike earlier, there weren't any programs on television that were interesting or watchable. All television channels rely on serial artists to create all programs, which can only be enjoyed by viewers who follow their serials; fortunately, no one at home watches serials, so I don't have to deal with these tortures. Thankfully, OTTs and YouTube were available for entertainment; I have subscribed to several YouTube channels, but the reality is that I don't have the time to watch them all, and they are either endless or unending. 

In my perspective, the best part of this year's Pongal festival was my nephews. Jeswanth and Kavin, the sons of my cousin's sister and my younger brother, with a nearly six-month difference in age, are doing their sums (troublesome) well. If they both came together, they would turn the house upside down, but at the same time, they would both show their tenderness and innocence, making our time together pleasurable and memorable. 

Kavin

Jeswanth

My cousin's sister is caring for her maternally ill grandma, who is in the hospital, and she has left her child with her parents, who are my uncle and aunt and reside next door. You don't need further details for him to enter our home once their door is open. For Pongal, we dressed the kids in traditional dothi and shirt outfits, which made them much adorable, and they each came up with a prayer bell to ring while worshipping the sun. 

If you forgot, Pongal is our harvest festival and thanksgiving day to all that nature and farmers have given us to survive, and the sun is worshipped on this day as the most important of all-natural elements. I understand that the kids have no clue about this or any other topic till they reach a certain age, but teaching them when they are young to be humble and rational about things will undoubtedly help them sustain and advance in the future. The images of my nephews in this post are from Pongal, and I hope you enjoy them.

Pongal 2020

Mom's colorful floral Kolam

It’s more than a week since Pongal passed off gracefully, and as expected we had a traditional Pongal made in earthen pot and firewood stove into the balcony, just like the previous year. The day began with mom and aunt drawing colourful Kolams at the gateway and below the balcony (what you seen in the previous post) and we got ready wearing the latest cloths and skipped the breakfast to have an early lunch with Pongal. Mom arranged for the bricks and firewood a day earlier to the festival and late in the morning of Pongal aunt joined mom in preparing Pongal and arranging of things.

The Pongal pot bubbled up well and sustained in its overflowing state sometime for me to capture the moment.  Though it is believed as a sign of welcoming the year and good harvest, I see the real happiness and concern was getting together with the family of uncle and thanksgiving the nature in unison because Pongal isn’t a religious festival to hold back into the home, it is a dedication to farmers and nature what coexists in deciding our food and stepping out of home is where lies all. Other than the day with Thai Pongal, with holidays extended up to 5 days wasn’t anything special and the television programs weren’t interesting and the movies relayed were also already watched in online streams. As usual I went around the neighbourhood to capture Pongal Kolams drawn in front of the houses and found very few color Kolams drawing my attention. And I think of sharing it in another post.

My Mattu (Bull) Pongal celebrations

The Next day of Pongal is Mattu (Bull) Pongal, so on that day i will go to my Grandfather house, because my grandpa has many cows and Buffalo. Mygrandpa is used to bath the cows and buffalo's, (some times me and my brother also have put bath cows, by using the spray tube, some times my aunty will also join with us and spray the water on us, and we pore the water on her, and get scolding from grandma) and paint on there kombu (bough) and fix bells in the kombu and some designed belt on its neck. My grandma will cook Pongal and give it for cows and buffalo's and put pooja's for them and we used to shout Pongalo Pongal mattu Pongal. in that area my grandpa only have bulls, so neighbouring will gather and see our pooja's.

And my uncle and grandpa will take the cow to Temple, and we also used to go with the cow, but we will come in 20 feet gape with the cow, because some times, it will ran. We have a big buffalo, and we used to tie near a wall, so every time it will sharp the his Kombu (bough), i always have fear on that, one time when mygrandpa take that Buffalo to temple, that many people brought there Bulls to temple, when our buffalo saw the bulls, it started running, and all people who are all stand near the temples have feared and run see the buffalo coming towards them, and it became very hard to control it. After that incident we have stoped going with cows to temple. My Grandpa neighbour have a bull cart or bull vehicle and they will decarate their cart and take childreans on that to temples, i also like to go on that cart, but my grandpa will not allow. For me every mattu (bull) pongal give different experiance. when we go to villages on Mattu Pongal, they will celebrated this festival very grand.

Some times we will go to our grandpa village 40km from Chennai, on the Mattupongal evening, and we go to the fileds and see the farmers, who theycelebrate the Mattu Pongal. every time when we go toVillage, we go to the fields and take bath on the canals and the in Pump set (where they take the water form the well and spread to the fields. and eat Nungu (kernal of tender plamyrah fruit) and elaneer (tender coconut) and will return on Night, when we returning in night, the road will be very dark and the two sides of the road is forest. it will be very fear to travell on that road.

Kaanum Pongal and Country side

I happen to reveal a stretch of country side on the outskirts of Chennai between Tiruporur and Echoor, an adjacent area to the west of OMR that met with Mamallapuram. We took this route esp. to avoid the Kaanum Pongal rush and also celebrating the closing day of the festival seasons of Pongal by going out with family which is a practice hold by many.

This stretch has villages that still breathing the fresh air of vast paddy fields and reserve forest with many Eucalyptus trees where the village cattle’s grazing and the spread of broken glasses and water packets prove it’s a haven for boozers. The notable and feel so good was the process of farming and the fragrance that lift in air from the paddy fields and small irrigational canals with clean water.

At some places the paddy crops has grown well into golden green colors and were suppose to harvest. When machines have entered at large in farming these days, it’s wonderful to see small scale farmers who can’t afford tractors plowing with oxen and this is a best way of farming I could say where both the man and animal survives. I really worry about cattle’s losing its footprints slowing from farming as machineries representing their places, I’m sure if this continues in progress instead of natural dung, only chemical and oil substance will remain in soil as well as spoiling out heath.

As it was the next day off Mattu Pongal, we could see horn painted bulls and at some villages youngsters were playing at the fields on behalf Pongal holidays, as it is a practice at many villages conducting games following Pongal. This is the time people who left the villages on work basis gather to play games and cherish the moment with friends and families. Kanum Pongal has been well preserved this time and there were rows of vehicles and some open top arrived to celebrate the last day of pongal with lot of noise but we went quiet across the countryside and felt so nice.

Mattu Pongal Day in Village

In the recent Pongal days, the most I enjoyed one was Mattu pongal, which I spent in my mom’s aunty village. After my grandpa left all his bulls, years back we dint get change to celebrate the Mattu Pongal. Nowadays my thoughts, interest and wishes on villages and farming have increased, so that would be the reason for me to visit the village on mattu pongal day. I think its not only the farmers to celebrate this mattu pongal, every one who eats rice from the paddy should also celebrate the mattu pongal to thank the cattle’s for their handworks on the earth. Its wonder u know to see a village with green fields, with cattle’s and still alive in the same position till now as I see from years. When it was few km’s from Chennai, when the surrounding places are changing as Engineering collages and IT parks.

It was mid afternoon, when we drive in the dusty old mahabalipuram road in the hot sun. This village is near Thiruporur, one side it was ex-salt pan areas, unfitted for agriculture, and the other side has good soil and water facilities. Mostly we visit to this village in summer times, so the lake would be dry with little water, but to my surprise the lake was filled with water and buffaloes were swimming. When we arrive, the people in the village were preparing their bulls for the Mattu Pongal, with colorful paintings on their horns and the bull carts, with balloons hanging. We spend some times in the fields; the green field was a beautiful scene to adore and the water from the pump set was great.

In evening the bulls come to its place where they gather. One my one was took bath by our relatives and their horns were daub my turmeric and kumgumama (crimson powder) kept in his head, tail… new color cord were tied in his neck and mango leafs around its horn, the bulls were very quite with out any wayward. There was this cute white calf, looks very attractive in his bell tied cord; its hairs were very soft, it was pleasant when it runs. Have seen many goats, but this one was special with long ears. The village smell and the evening cool breeze have an awesome sense, I feel it after a long time. The evening was gorgeous as the sky was color of dark pink. When they were preparing to worship, I notice some colorful bull carts with children having fun on traveling in the cart, they were rounding the village. All bulls and plough objects were given camphor adoration and myrrh smoke was shown to it. It was very dark and the camera flash gives problem so the nigh pic was very dark. It went 8 .30 pm in night when we left the village, we had a good dinner in the village; the taste of the Karakulambe was great. More Pictures here

பொங்கல் வாழ்த்துகள் / Pongal Wishes

Pic by Jeevan (mom's kolam)

தை திங்கள்  திருநாள் 

தொன்மை வாய்ந்த  தமிழர் திருநாள்
கால்நடைகள் தொட்டு  
வேர்வை சொட்ட
உழைக்கும் உழவர் திருநாள் 

மழையின்றி வெயிலின்றி 

அயராமல் உழைத்து 

உலகுக்கே உணவளிக்கும் உழவாளி 

வானுக்கும் பூமிக்கும் 

இடைப்பட்ட வாழ்வை இணைக்கும் விவசாயி. 

வாழும்  வள்ளல்களாகிய 

நம் விவசாயிகளை வாழ்த்தி

போற்றி பாதுகாதிட உருதிஎடுதிடுவோம் .

Thai moon festival
the ancient Tamil festival
touching livestock’s
and dropping of sweaters
working farmer’s festival.

Unexpected to rain and sun
working tirelessly
the farmer, feeds the world
connecting the co-existence
between earth and sky.

To the living philanthropist
farmers, let wish and take vow
to praise and protect their deeds.

Footnote:

Pongal, is a harvesting festival of Tamil people, festival of farmers, who feed food for the entire world. It’s a way of thanksgiving natural elements, cattle’s that assist the farmers for good harvest. Pongal is celebrated as four day festival in Tamil Nadu, with the beginning of the Tamil month Thai (Jan 14 or sometime 15) which believed to bring flourish, prosper and hope into life.

As per Tamil proverb ‘Thai Piranthal Vazhi Pirakkum’, which means the birth of Thai will show signs of new path in life. Pongal also marks the cultural identity of Tamil and a route of thanksgiving nature in their unique way of boiling rice – which is the meaning of Pongal; and worshiping cattle’s and sun and rain for their basic sustain throughout the cultivation.

This year the nature wasn't favorable for farmers, as well farming faced a severe setback with lack of rain and prevention of opening Kaveri water from neighboring state, all leads to destruction of crops.I hope and wish nature provides plenty of good deeds to farmers, flourishing ever like before and farmer’s golden paddy grains gain more scope than gold in trade market. So wish you all a very Happy Pongal. இனிய பொங்கல் வாழ்த்துகள்.

Pongal Kolams for RGB Monday

Here is mom’s Pongal Kolams that she drew for the Pongal festival. As I told in my previous post mom took enough diligence to make all the 4 kolams, two at night and another two in morning along our courtyard and gateway. I know I was pretty slow with blogging these days but hope to be active in coming days and for RGB  Monday, I think this post had more  than enough colors to keep  away the Monday blue, but I know Monday is gonna end in  less than an hour. lol

The rose flowers kolam was put on the ramp in front of the house

The Pongal pot along  with sugarcanes and turmeric plants upon which we made pongal using firewood stove.

Peacock drawing/kolam at the upstairs door front

Pongal pot and flower Kolam at our doorstep

The same Pongal pot and flower Kolam (as seen above)  before added colors

RGB Monday

Our Colorful Pongal Kolam

Not alone Pongal, any festival or event is not celebrated without drawing Kolam in Tamil culture. Although kolam is a Hindu custom or tradition, drawing a beautiful kolam in front of or in the courtyard of an event venue draws attention and adds charm to it. In Hindu custom, drawing Kolam is a daily activity of a household (mostly the women) in front of their house; until we moved to the 1st floor of our native home, mom used to draw Kolam every day. But now, due to a knee problem and difficulty in waking up early morning, she stopped drawing Kolam; but my aunt continued to draw the kolam on our doorstep, which was common to both of us.

This year's Pongal festival was better than the previous year where the covid and some personal losses took away the festive spirit and celebration mood. Though, this year too, we missed the traditional way of celebration with mud pot Pongal, what made it special was the arrival of the two new nephews. My sister’s (cousin) son, nephew Jeswanth, went to their house to celebrate Pongal while my brother’s son Kavin came here from their maternal home for the Pongal. Now Kavin had gone back, and Jeswanth returned. I hope you guys too had a good festival time if you celebrate Pongal.

Kolam Critters

Kolam is a south Indian tradition and Tamils made it an everyday custom to draw patterns in front of the houses and Margazhi is a Tamil month (between Dec-Jan) where Kolam takes special attention and ends with Pongal, the harvesting and thanksgiving festival of Tamil. Pongal Kolam is popular during this time and many put great efforts to make it look wonderful and colourful including drawing something relevant to the festival. Today marks the first day of the Pongal, called Bogi Pongal, and it’s a favourite festival among kids till late 90s where people light fire in front of the house and kids sit around and enjoy beating little skin drums, heating up from the fire.

Usually it’s the worn-out things (from home) that put into fire, like rush mats, winnows and broomsticks the most. It’s a festival adapts nature way of celebration and what we fire is all natural elements, that carries less evil to nature. But it wasn’t same in later years, when people started to fire anything from plastic to tyres it becomes a cause for concern. Apart that, Pongal is an auspicious festival that bring hope to life and being a harvesting festival, nothing could bring hope and cheer to life when farming is the base of food and we couldn’t stop thanking the farmers and natural sources that help us living, healthily.

Coming to Kolam, I always admire the art made on the floor and apart my mom, aunt and grandma also make lovely designs and the critters (cat and peacock) here was drawn by grandma. Though these are simple ones it bears a cuteness I loved. Every year mom draw one or two colour Kolams for Pongal and I have no idea what she planned to draw this year and I would post that after the festival. I wish people a Happy Pongal!  

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Pongal greetings.

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Have designed some greeting cards for the coming Pongal festival. These days shops lack for festival greeting cards, and was not possible to send the cards to dears. So I want to prepare cards on my own, while for most important events I did cards holding the pictures of my cousins, this time tried some new way in the style of professional greeting. The amount spend for buying a card from shop is minimum Rs.20, some quality cards at 30+, for me its only Rs.6 to 12 according to the size I develop through photo studios. What I spend is time and energy, and what earn is satisfaction on designing in wish and using own words.

I steal only some flowers and other items from net and others drew in Photoshop and pictures from my last Pongal. Except my cousins, would be glad if it was used by others. One can download the card on the size given below at every greeting.

Jallikattu, should be banned? I don’t think so…

Though Deepavali is my favourite festival, and I simply loved it for fireworks and sharing of sweets and snacks, Pongal is an occasion I quite admire for its significant phase on life. Pongal is a grand festival in Tamil Nadu that celebrates the thanksgiving of nature and harvesting season. On this time, farmers set to harvest their fully grown crops and make Pongal (a dish made by boiling of rice) out of it and dedicate it to the sun, which is the source of energy for all.  Pongal, which celebrated for four days (Jan 14-17), also worships the cattle – which supports human in cultivation for great productivity – and celebration of bulls, for their endurance and mighty on tillage. Though tractors and harvesting machines have replaced the man and animals lately, the small scale farmers are still depend on cattle and I could see bulls ploughing lands, even today at the outskirts of Chennai. This is the time people has to understand, however mechanism has developed to help humans and throw out cattle’s from field, they (bulls) still need to be involved in farming and cows for milking to sustain them from decline.

Pic courtesy: wiki

Just like bulls used for ploughing and bullock carts, Jallikattu is a traditional sports (conducted during the festival of Pongal) where bulls are let loose into an open space (one by one) and man has to control the bull or grasp it for some time. The sports has been banned by the Supreme Court for last couple of years, following the complaint filed by animal welfare activists that bulls are ill-treated during the training and the event. Even though few days back, the central government gave a green signal to conduct the sports played according to the regulations the Supreme Court has formed in its former reports. The Apex Court has once again ruled out the decision of the central govt. to conduct the event and the people who have been in great delight (followed by the union govt. consent) had been disappointed now. I know everyone has an opinion on the sports and reason to support and oppose and for me this is not just a sports, but a way to keep alive the bulls and sustain their relationship. Because I believe, only until the sport is here, the bulls (that are specifically breed for the event) will continue to exist.

The time I appreciate the animal welfare activists, for bringing out the cruelty behind this sport and ill-treats while taming the bulls, upon which the Supreme Court brought some restrictions in conduction the game in 2007 and until 2014 the event has went formal, taking a dramatic change in the pattern of its conduct. The event has been captured in videography thoroughly – to keep certain the rules are followed and bulls aren’t harmed, and the players, who are subjected to catch the bulls, have given uniform and are forced to take physical test before entering the ground. Unlike earlier, where the players and audience are blend with crowed and many who aren’t fit enough are injured through the cause, and  to prevent this the players and onlookers are separated by a strong fence now, and the age is also restricted to be between 20 and 40 for those who like to play. The game’s rules have also been simplified from being insane, where too many hold on a bull and pulling its tail… the players are allowed to grasp only the bulls hump and holding there for 30 seconds or run 30 feet from the entrance (called Vadi Vasal) where the bulls are let loosed.

When things being right and conductors and players are conscious about the rules, what makes the animal activists asking for a ban? I am not supporting animals being harmed in anyways, but I strongly believe without hard work and struggles nothing survives.  Bulls are hardworking animals and if we haven’t let them play and treated in right manner it will becomes weak. Experts believe that a bull with full vigour breeds strong bovines, and for that these animals has to be active and endure.  And only till their need is there, the people will keep support the bulls and for those bovines were the livelihoods keeping them alive and healthy is much needed. Beside these what bothers me more was the survival of bulls! A question rises in me, what is the state of bulls if the Jallikattu is prevented? Or any kinds of activity that involve bulls are restrained? Just being conscious that no animals (the domesticated) are harmed is enough to preserve them? The noted cattle species Kangeyam, an indigenous breed of India, is on the verge of life along with many other species. It’s easy for us to support animal’s welfare and look after our job, which does not involve cattle and it won’t going to bother us further. But for farmers, the animal’s welfare as well the survival of bulls is very important on the race.

The tradition and culture can be transformed according the comfort of life, unless it has nothing meaningful. I don’t see Jallikattu as just the traditional courageous sports, but ways to keep sustain the bulls and active their breed. According to Kala Karthi, Jallikatu is created not for the sports, but for training the users in controlling their bovines. Though I am not sure about the tradition behind it, the Jallikattu is perhaps created to showcase manpower and used as a platform to marry the virgin by taming the bull that reared by her family. Today it is played (maybe) to sustain the practice/tradition and existence of bulls! 

Happy Harvesting

Pongal, as we all know it is a harvesting festival celebrated across India in various names and one among it is renowned as Sankranti. Though the festival is celebrated in various forms according to states culture and tradition it commonly signifies the harvest and Maker Sankranti marks the transition of the Sun into Capricorn on its celestial path.

Today the harvesting process has taken various stages in development and machineries taking over the man power in reducing his stress and to increase the productivity. Though we are advanced in technology somehow and somewhere we are still poor in productivity and many people are lacking for essential commodities to harvest and cultivate.

The harvesting is not an easy process like we proceed in Farmville and it need lot of patient and care before going for harvest in time. Thought I am not well aware about the process which could be simple and yet easy we need to feed the seeds and irrigate properly in time before they go dry completely or flooded with water to decay almost, but these days nature has changed irregularly to affect the food productivity that witness in inflation.

Not alone the process has changed; even there are no lands to increase the cultivation to feed the increasing population that taking place the lands to constructions and real-estates. Though we still have enough lands to cultivate grains and vegetables the interest among farmers have reduced to give prior to farming more than seeking for a settlement and questioning why we need to work hard when all comforts goes to citizens living in cities?

I am not intend to talk about the causes that affects in inflation or farming but thinking about the festival the things come automatically in comfort and we couldn’t think any more on this time than farming and harvesting which is the concept of this festival. Though we all have thoughts about farming and want to see it saved from the causes that affect the productivity, the non proper price fixed for seeds and grains produce the trouble among farmers and dwellers who affected by the high rise in price and money.

The Pongal is less than a day ahead and thinking that we are thanksgiving the nature and famers and livestock’s that support us to nourish and survive healthy, I feel so content and happy. The mood of festival cheering me the times thinking about Pongal, which I see it as the best among festival celebrating the harvest. On this occasion I wish that more youngsters come into the field of farming to help our poor farmers and save our future that truly depend on farming.

Here I go with my Pongal greetings that I designed the latter days and it’s always pleasure to greet with our own depict on thoughts and feeling and it’s been sometime I created greetings that I send to my cousins and I brought one of if here to greet u all a very Happy Harvesting festival of joy, peace, happiness and reliance between relationships esp. friendship...

There are two more cards in flickr here and here.

Pongal Pot Light

During the Pongal festival I was thinking to do something different and got the idea of putting led lights on an old Pongal pot. It was the same serial light I used on the Christmas tree, and I put the rice led around the pot and cut pasted cello tapes here and there to keep the wire on place. For the overflowing part of the pot, I blocked the mouth of the pot with a bunch of white paper and stick lights around it.

First I placed it on the windowsill outside the home and then shifted it to the brick stove, that we used to make Pongal in morning with firewood at the courtyard. And it looked really good lighting from the shutdown brick stove and we left it that way for the four days of Pongal festival and people passing by the road too would have got a glimpse.

Linking this post for  Good Fences by Gosia... and you could see our sitout fence/rai in picture above

Pongal wishes

The auspicious day on Tamils front
reliable to the source of living
is the harvest that brings home fare

The anticipation of new rays
as sun changes its way, is believed
to bring hope and prosperity into home

Thai, the month of Tamil
marks the many beginning of life
is the initial sow this Pongal harvests

By thanksgiving the nature and cattle’s
on this day of harvest, let wish
salvation reaches farmers from starvation
and by cutting off grains
happiness is invited into their homes.

Footnote:

The silver brass lamp were shot from last year's pongal festival at home.

Wishing you all a very Happy Pongal
இனிய பொங்கல் நல்வாழ்த்துகள்

RGB Monday

Colourful Pongal Kolam by mom and aunt

As you all Kolam is a part of our custom and it is drawn in front of the houses to create an auspicious environment. During the Pongal festival it takes a special attention and most of houses (that follow the custom) draw beautiful patterns on their doorstep and drawing pot Kolam enhance the mood of festival. Here I share couple of Pongal Kolams, and the above one was mom’s contribution and it was drawn at our home front and aunt’s (below) was on theirs in the next street. On the evening of Pongal I come around our streets to capture some colourful kolams and I would share them in future post. 

Here’s RGB Monday to keep away your Monday Blues and make feel colourful and yet cheerful! And this Link-in feature invites your colourful photos with the content of RGB – Red, Green, and Blue. Please add your link-in at the comment section (along with your comment)and it will be mentioned at the bottom of the post.

1. Devilish Angel