Pongal festival spans over four days period. Each of these days hold a
significance of its own.
Pongal literally means, "boiling over". This Tamil
harvest festival is celebrated with decorated cows, processions and colorful
Rangolis. Pongal is actually a sweet porridge made from newly harvested rice
and eaten by all, even the animals. Each day of this festival is celebrated
more grandly in the villages, while the city folk mainly celebrate on the
second day only. It is widely celebrated in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and
Karnataka.
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 fresh milk early in the morning and allowing it to boil over the
vessel - a tradition that is the literal translation for Pongal (in Tamil).
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 contest, marks this day. On the last day, Kanum Pongal,
people go out to picnic.
Although Pongal was originally a festival for the
farming community, today all celebrates it. Coinciding with Makara Sankranti
and Lohri of the north, it is also called Pongal Sankranti and
thus celebrated in some form in various parts of
India.
Let’s take a look how each day of this four day Pongal festival hold
significance.
and
thus celebrated in some form in various parts of
India.