Pongal is essentially an agricultural and harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu. Find out the rituals and customs of Pongal and know how to celebrate Pongal festival.Pongal is celebrated in India, especially in the Tamil land as an agricultural and a harvest festival. The festival marks the end of the chilly winters and when the Uttarayan commences. This entails that the sun begins its move towards the north. It is more commonly referred to as Uttarayan Punyakalam, which is a very auspicious occasion. If you go by the Tamil calendar, it is celebrated for four days, the first of the four being the last day of the Margazhi or Margashish month, which falls on December-January. It ends with the third day of the Thai, which falls on January-February. So if you follow the Gregorian calendar, Pongal falls around the 12-15 of January. In this articleTraditions, Rituals and Customs Of PongalTraditional Gift Items on PongalHow is Pongal Celebrated?Bhogi PongalPerum PongalMattu PongalThiruvalluvar or Kanum PongalTraditions, Rituals and Customs Of Pongal The most common ritual surrounding Pongal is to clean the house and the entire area where you are living. All the members of the family get together take a bath early in the morning on all the four days of the festival. There is the traditional attire for the women in South-India, that is the half sari and Lehenga and Angavastram for men. Kolam is an important ingredient of the Pongal, which is made of rice flour paste and water or milk or coconut water. This white paste is extremely holy and people may add colours to this Kolam to make colourful designs. The entrance and also the inside of the house and the Puja area or room are decorated with this paste. Having sugarcane is another custom during the Pongal. Exchanging of gifts is also a vital aspect of this festival and is observed by every member of the society. There are various terms for this Pongal gift like, Pongal Padi and Pongal parisu. This is primarily the term used for the gifts presented to the labourers. Employers also gift their employees on this occasion. Apart from this, gifts are also exchanged between families and other relatives and friends. Traditional Gift Items on Pongal Although one can choose to gift anything to the recipient, during Pongal some choose the traditional way to gift. They are usually any of the following: Any idol or image of the Sun God, this is called the Surya Pongal Traditional decorative items that comprise of the Bhogi Pongal Wooden handicrafts items that can be bought or made by you Household items like utensils or other objects How is Pongal Celebrated? The Pongal festival is celebrated for four days. Let us find out how each day of Pongal festival is celebrated. Bhogi Pongal The first day is called Bogi Pongal, where people worship the Sun God or Surya Devta and Mother Earth. The first paddy harvested is cooked to make rice, that is, boiling milk with rice, this is also the special dish for the occasion. Perum Pongal The second day is called the Perum Pongal or Surya Pongal. This is the most important day of the four days where Surya is worshipped along with his consorts: Chaya and Samganya. People wear new clothes on this occasion and it is customary to light a fire and throw all the old and torn clothes into it. They also get an oil massage before bath. Mattu Pongal The third day is called the Mattu Pongal where the animals involved with the agricultural community or practice like cattle are worshipped. They are cleansed, bathed, massaged and dressed in vibrant coloured attires made especially for them. Thiruvalluvar or Kanum Pongal The fourth day is called the Thiruvalluvar or Kanum Pongal. On this concluding day, people pay a visit to their relatives and friends. Puja is performed by the women of the house praying for the well being and prosperity of their brothers. An interesting custom is to leave some cooked rice on banana leaves for the birds to feast on. Finally, if you look at the festival from a very practical point of view, you will find that it has huge relevance due to the fact that the Sun, Mother Earth and cattle are worshipped. Tamil Nadu is a state that is devoid of any perennial water resource and so people invoke the blessings of the sun and rain gods asking for their benevolence.
Pongal is essentially an agricultural and harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu. Find out the rituals and customs of Pongal and know how to celebrate Pongal festival.Pongal is celebrated in India, especially in the Tamil land as an agricultural and a harvest festival. The festival marks the end of the chilly winters and when the Uttarayan commences. This entails that the sun begins its move towards the north. It is more commonly referred to as
Uttarayan Punyakalam, which is a very auspicious occasion. If you go by the Tamil calendar, it is celebrated for four days, the first of the four being the last day of the
Margazhi or
Margashish month, which falls on December-January. It ends with the third day of the
Thai, which falls on January-February. So if you follow the Gregorian calendar, Pongal falls around the 12-15 of January.
Traditions, Rituals and Customs Of Pongal
The most common ritual surrounding Pongal is to clean the house and the entire area where you are living. All the members of the family get together take a bath early in the morning on all the four days of the festival. There is the traditional attire for the women in South-India, that is the half sari and Lehenga and Angavastram for men.
Kolam is an important ingredient of the Pongal, which is made of rice flour paste and water or milk or coconut water. This white paste is extremely holy and people may add colours to this Kolam to make colourful designs. The entrance and also the inside of the house and the Puja area or room are decorated with this paste.
Having sugarcane is another custom during the Pongal. Exchanging of gifts is also a vital aspect of this festival and is observed by every member of the society. There are various terms for this Pongal gift like, Pongal Padi and Pongal parisu. This is primarily the term used for the gifts presented to the labourers. Employers also gift their employees on this occasion. Apart from this, gifts are also exchanged between families and other relatives and friends.
Traditional Gift Items on Pongal
Although one can choose to gift anything to the recipient, during Pongal some choose the traditional way to gift. They are usually any of the following:
- Any idol or image of the Sun God, this is called the Surya Pongal
- Traditional decorative items that comprise of the Bhogi Pongal
- Wooden handicrafts items that can be bought or made by you
- Household items like utensils or other objects
How is Pongal Celebrated?
The Pongal festival is celebrated for four days. Let us find out how each day of Pongal festival is celebrated.
Bhogi Pongal
The first day is called Bogi Pongal, where people worship the Sun God or Surya Devta and Mother Earth. The first paddy harvested is cooked to make rice, that is, boiling milk with rice, this is also the special dish for the occasion.
Perum Pongal
The second day is called the Perum Pongal or Surya Pongal. This is the most important day of the four days where Surya is worshipped along with his consorts: Chaya and Samganya. People wear new clothes on this occasion and it is customary to light a fire and throw all the old and torn clothes into it. They also get an oil massage before bath.
Mattu Pongal
The third day is called the Mattu Pongal where the animals involved with the agricultural community or practice like cattle are worshipped. They are cleansed, bathed, massaged and dressed in vibrant coloured attires made especially for them.
Thiruvalluvar or Kanum Pongal
The fourth day is called the Thiruvalluvar or Kanum Pongal. On this concluding day, people pay a visit to their relatives and friends. Puja is performed by the women of the house praying for the well being and prosperity of their brothers. An interesting custom is to leave some cooked rice on banana leaves for the birds to feast on.
Finally, if you look at the festival from a very practical point of view, you will find that it has huge relevance due to the fact that the Sun, Mother Earth and cattle are worshipped. Tamil Nadu is a state that is devoid of any perennial water resource and so people invoke the blessings of the sun and rain gods asking for their benevolence.
