Pongal, also called Sankranti in some places,is an Indian harvest and a thanksgiving festival. Pongal literally means boiling over. It is traditionally celebrated at the time of harvest of crops and hence is a celebration of the prosperity associated with the event.

Pongal is historically a secular festival independent of religion. It is celebrated by all people in South India, notably Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. While being predominantly a South Indian festival, the day is also celebrated in several other places under different names. In northern India, it is called Makar Sankranti. In Maharashtra and Gujarat, it is the annual kite-flying day. It is also the harvest festival in Punjab and Haryana, where it is celebrated as Lohri.

Celebration

Tamil Nadu
Pongal is also known as Tamizhar Thirunal or The Festival of Tamils. In Tamil, there is a saying, Thai Pirandhal Vazhi Pirakkum,literally meaning, the birth of the month of Thai will pave way for new opportunities.

Usually this day falls on January 14th or 15th in the Western calendar and the first day of the month of 'Thai' in Tamil Calendar.

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 rice with fresh milk and Jaggery early in the morning and allowing it to boil over the vessel — a tradition that is the literal translation for Pongal (in Tamil). 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. Jallikattu, a violent taming the bull contenst, marks this day. On the last day, Kanum Pongal — the word "kanum" literally meaning 'to view' — youngsters used to gather at river banks to view and select their future life partners (which has fallen out of practice currently). During the pongal season, people eat sugar canes and decorate the houses with kolam.

Karnataka
In Karnataka, the festival is marked by visiting one's friends and relatives to exchange greetings, and by the preparation of a dish called Ellu (made with sesame seeds, coconuts, sugar blocks, etc). A common custom found across Karnataka is the exchange of sugarcane pieces and Ellu with one's neighbors, friends and relatives.

index page1 page2 page3 page4page5

Web Hosting · Blog · Guestbooks · Message Forums · Mailing Lists
Allwebco Web Templates · Build your own toolbar · Financial Data · Audio, Fonts, Clipart
powered by bravenet.com