The Auspicious Festival of Pongal

Pongal or Thai Pongal is a major festival of South India and is celebrated annually in the month of  January. It is also called as Makar Sankranti in North India. This year, Pongal is going to begin from 15th January and will last till 18th January. This 2020 Pongal date may vary depending upon the Tamil calendar. This auspicious day signals the end of winters and onset of spring season. Pongal is a colorful festival which is celebrated all across the world with grandeur. Pongal is a Thanksgiving festival where people thank the Sun God and the cattle for a great and plentiful harvest and seek blessings. This 4-day festival is the most awaited festival of the Tamilians all around the world.

Significance of Pongal

Pongal is celebrated on the first day of Thai month when the Sun enters the zodiac sign of Makar (Capricorn) which marks the end of winter. It signals that for the next six months, the days will be longer and warmer. This period is considered very auspicious as it is believed that the Devas wake up after a six month long duration.

Pongal is a four-day festival and is also known as Bhogi Pongal, Perum Pongal or Surya Pongal, Mattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal. This grand occasion is to thank the almighty for a great harvest and to make your home and your body ready to accept new beginnings. People throw their old household items in the bonfire while chanting “Paraiyana kadiwalum, Pudiyana Pugudulam” which means, “let the old things go away and let the new things and blessings come in.”

Pongal Celebrations Across the World

Pongal or Thai Pongal is one of the biggest festivals for Tamilians and is celebrated not only in India but across the world with great pomp. Indian diaspora is the largest in the world out of which the major portion are the Indian Tamilians. They are spread in large numbers across different countries such that their culture and rituals have become an integral part of the local culture of that country.

Some of the places in India and around the world where you can witness grand Pongal celebrations every year are –

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is a beautiful state in South India which attracts a large number of tourists every year. The beauty of this place is enhanced by a hundred times during the auspicious festival of Pongal which is celebrated with splendor and glory each year in the month of January. This 4-day festival is one of the most important festivals in South India, especially for the Tamil community.

This festival is a way to thank the Sun God for their blessings and a great harvest. The first day of the festival is called Bhogi Pandiga and is devoted to the Rain God, Indra. On this day, people also clean their homes and throw the old belongings into the bonfire emphasizing the new change. They also draw rangoli in front of their houses. On the second day, the sweet dish “Pongal” is prepared and is offered to the Sun God and then shared with families and guests with love and warmth. Cows and other cattle are honored and fed on mattu Pongal in Tamil Nadu for their contribution to the harvest. And on the fourth and last day of the festival, Kaka Pudi Kannu Pudi ritual is followed by the women of the family in Tamil Nadu. During this day, they feed rice balls to birds, especially crows and seek blessings for their brother’s well-being.

Pondicherry

This quaint little union territory of India is the perfect representation of different cultures, traditions, and festivals. Just like every other South Indian state, Pondicherry also celebrates Pongal with great pomp and show. The wonderful decorations along with the joy of the festive season makes this place even more mesmerizing. Every year the grand Pongal celebrations take place between 13th to 16th January.

The first day of the festival is called Bhogi day. On this day, the people of Pondicherry clean their homes and decorate it with colorful kolum (rangoli). It is a tradition followed by the people wherein they throw the old and unimportant items of the house into the bonfire. Thai Pongal is the most significant Pongal day in Pondicherry. On this day, people offer thanks to the Sun God, Surya. A special dish called “Pongal” is prepared and offered to the Sun God in the morning and served in banana leaves to the family members and guests afterwards. Pongal is prepared by boiling harvested rice with milk and jaggery in a clay pot. While boiling, some milk is allowed to spill over as a sign of abundance and prosperity in the future. On mattu Pongal, the third day of the festival, people in Pondicherry decorate their cattle with garlands and flowers as a token of respect and gratitude. Kaanum Pongal, the final day of the great Pongal festival is considered as a day for reunion and family gatherings in Pondicherry. Visit Pondicherry during the Pongal celebration to enjoy the cultural diversity and vibrancy of this stunning place.

Singapore

This Southeast Asian country is one of the places in the world which celebrates Thai Pongal with grandeur and vibrancy in the month of January. The thanksgiving and harvest festival, Thai Pongal is celebrated with four long days of festivities across the world but in Singapore, this grand celebration goes on for more than a month. The temples of the region are beautifully decorated and the sound of the Indian bells and shells can be heard everywhere.

Thai Pongal in Singapore is celebrated with very much the same rituals and traditions. During these 4 days, The traditional dish “Pongal” is prepared in a pot which is then shared with family members and friends. People thank the Sun God, Surya and decorate their cattle as a gesture of gratitude for helping in the process of a good harvest.

The highlights of Thai Pongal celebrations in Singapore include folk music and dances, traditional Pongal recipe demonstrations and the colorful market filled with Indian arts and crafts, traditional Tamilian attires, and other cultural performances. People gather to express their gratitude to the almighty for a plentiful harvest. If you are in Singapore during January make sure you head to Campbell Lane in Little India (an ethnic district in Singapore) to witness the colorful and vibrant Pongal celebrations.

Sri Lanka

Pongal is one of the important festivals of Sri Lanka which is celebrated with fervor and zeal across the country. Sri Lankans follow similar customs and rituals as that of Indians for celebrating this auspicious festival. In Sri Lanka, Pongal is also known as the festival of First Rice. Pongal celebrations in Sri Lanka last for two days. This festival is a way to pay gratitude to the Sun God, Surya and the cattle, both of which are significant for a bountiful harvest. 

The first day is devoted to the Sun God, Surya. A special delicacy is prepared on this day by boiling milk in a huge pot and adding rice, jaggery, and crushed sugarcane syrup. This sweet delicacy is first offered to the Sun God and later is consumed by the family members. The second day of the festival called Mattu Pongal is dedicated to the cattle that help the farmers in the fields. People feed their cattle and adorn them with beautiful garlands. Also, kolams (rangoli) are drawn in the front of the houses with rice flour along with cow dung in the center with a five-petal pumpkin flower. People believe that if ants and insects feed on the rice flour, then it will bring good luck in the family. Also, cow dung with a flower is kept as an offering to the deity.

Canada

Canada is the country that serves as a home to one of the largest populations of the Tamil diaspora in the world. To pay gratitude and respect to this increasing population of Tamilians in the country and their contribution to different sectors and the economy of Canada, January was declared as Tamil Heritage Month in 2016. January is a significant month for the Tamil Canadian population as the auspicious harvest festival, Thai Pongal is celebrated in this month.

Thai Pongal is celebrated for 4 days with zeal and enthusiasm in different parts of the country. People wear ethnic Tamilian attire and get ready in the morning to seek blessings from the Sun God and thank God for a great harvest. Families and friends gather together and prepare the traditional dish “Pongal,” a sweet rice dish and share with each other. This marks the end of the harvest season. Later in the day, the Tamilian Canadian enjoy traditional songs and dance forms in several community centers and enjoy the festival with their loved ones.

Thai Pongal is an important Indian festival which is celebrated with magnificence and glory in many parts of the world. The festival holds great importance, particularly for Tamilians spread all around the world. This harvest and Thanksgiving festival is also a great time to enjoy with your family and loved ones and start the new year with positivity and love. Celebrate Pongal 2020 with your close ones and wish them a very happy Pongal.