Pongal (festival)

This article is about the Pongal festival. For the dish of the same name, see Pongal (dish).

Pongal
File:Pongal.gif Boiling rice during a Pongal Day celebration
Also called	பொங்கல்; translation: 'boiling over'
Observed by	Tamils
Type	Festival, Indian
Significance	Harvest festival. Thanking sun god for prosperity
Celebrations	Feasting, gift-giving, visiting homes
Observances	Prayers, offerings to Surya
Date	First day of Thai (month) in the Tamil calendar

Pongal (பொங்கல் in Tamil) is an Indian festival to give thanks for the harvest. Pongal in Tamil 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 celebrated by all people in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. While Pongal is predominantly a Tamil festival, the same period also marks similar festivals celebrated in several other places under different names. In Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, the harvest festival Sankranthi is celebrated. In northern India, it is called Makar Sankranti. In Maharashtra and Gujarat, it is the date of the annual kite-flying day, Uttarayan. It also coincides with the harvest festival in Punjab and Haryana, known as Lohri.

Celebration

Pongal is also known as Tamizhar Thirunal or 'The Festival of Tamils' among the Tamil people. The Tamil language saying Thai Pirandhal Vazhi Pirakkum (தை பிறந்தால் வழி பிறக்கும்) — meaning 'the birth of the month of Thai will pave the way for new opportunities' — is often quoted with reference to the Pongal festival.

Usually the festival falls in the middle of the month of January in the Western or Gregorian calendar. The festival is celebrated for four days from the last day of the Tamil month Maargazhi (December/January) to the third day of Thai (January/February). The first day, Bhogi, is celebrated by throwing away and destroying old clothes and materials by setting them on fire to mark the end of the old and the emergence of the new.

The second day, Pongal, is the main day which falls on the first day of the Tamil month Thai (January 14 or January 15 in the Gregorian calendar). Pongal day is celebrated by boiling rice with fresh milk and jaggery early in the morning and allowing it to boil over the vessel — this is the tradition that gives the festival of Pongal its name. The moment the rice boils over and bubbles out of the vessel, it is offered to the chief Hindu solar deity Surya, a gesture which symbolises thanksgiving to the sun for providing prosperity. People also prepare savories and sweets, visit each others' homes, and exchange greetings.

The third day, Maattu Pongal, is for the purpose of offering thanks to cattle, as they provide milk and are used to plough lands. Jallikattu, a violent 'taming the wild bull' contest, is the main event of this day. During this final day, Kaanum Pongal — the word kaanum means 'to view' — people, especially storekeepers, visit beaches and theme parks. During the Pongal season, people also chew sugar cane and decorate the houses with kolam.

Astronomical significance

The astronomical significance of the festival is that 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.

External links

• Pongal Greetings - Greeting cards for Pongal in English and Tamil
• Pongal Festival - the harvest festival of South India- An exclusive site dedicated to Pongal.
• Dmoz listing on Pongal
• Significance and Philosophy of the Pongal festival
• Lohri
• Lohri Festival - the bonfire festival of North India