Name: HIGS
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Pongal Festival

15-01-2024

HAPPY PONGAL!! LET’S CELEBRATE THE DAY OF HARVEST!!!

Thai Pongal festival is a Harvest festival - the Tamil equivalent of "Thanksgiving"

Happy Pongal!

Pongal is a famous ‘Harvest Festival’ celebrated for four days in Tamilnadu. The festival name is derived from the Tamil literature “Pongal” which means “Over Flow” or “To Boil”. It is an ancient festival of South India, particularly among the Tamil Community. It is a celebration to thank the Sun, Mother Nature and the various farm animals that help to contribute to a bountiful harvest. Pongal also marks the beginning of the Tamil month called Thai, which is considered an auspicious month. It usually falls on the 14th or 15th of January each year. In 2024, ‘Thai Pongal’ is celebrated on 15th January. Pongal also refers to the traditional dish prepared from the new harvest of crops such as rice, sugarcane, etc.

Traditional Pongal Kolam

Happy Pongal! Decorate your house and welcome your guests during the Pongal festival with charming and traditional Pongal Kolam. Get traditional rangoli for Pongal, and celebrate your Thai Pongal festival with a lot of joy! If you are looking for pictures, images for Pongal Festival, village Pongal festival drawing, or greetings Pongal festival, then this site will be the best choice. Just continue reading and get the most surprising facts about Pongal.

Wish Pongal in Tamil

During this time of harvest, you can send your beloved tamilians with a pongal wishes in tamil. இனிய பொங்கல் வாழ்த்துக்கள் 2024

“அன்பும், ஆசையும் பொங்க, இன்பமும், இனிமையும் பொங்க உங்கள் வீட்டில் மகிழ்ச்சி பொங்க பொங்கலோ பொங்கல் வாழ்த்துகள்!”

How Pongal will be celebrated?

During this auspicious time of Pongal celebration, all Tamilians will be performing delicious traditional foods, decorating their houses with Pongal Kolam, and in several places, Jallikattu will be conducted. It is a fresh day where cleaning and discarding of old belongings are carried out to signify a fresh start to the next Tamil year. New clothes are worn, and houses are decorated in the spirit of the festivity.

Pongal Dish

The Festival's most significant practice is the preparation of the traditional “Pongal Dish”. The dish is often prepared in a ‘clay pot’ that is garlanded with leaves, flowers and colourful artwork. The traditional Pongal dish preparation is an important custom performed on the day. For the dish, the rice that has been just harvested is used and it is cooked with various ingredients like milk, jaggery, cardamom, raisins, cashews, ghee, and coconut. As the milk boils freely over the pot, family members shout out happily “Pongalo Pongal”! After the Pongal is offered to the Sun God, they would feast on several Pongal dishes that are prepared especially for the day. Some people prepare savoury varieties of Pongal like ‘ven Pongal’.

Celebration Of Pongal Festival

Pongal- It is a traditional event. Tamilians will decorate houses with rice-powder kolam artworks. Prayers will be offered in the home & temples. It is an occasion of getting together with family and friends.

Pongal is a four-day celebration. Each day is marked by different festivities. The First day is called Bhogi Festival, The second day is called Thai Pongal, The Third Day is called Mattu Pongal and the Fourth day is called Kannum Pongal.

Bhogi Pongal

The first day of Pongal is called Bhogi. On this day, the useless belongings are carried out and thrown into the fire made of wood, agricultural waste and cow-dung cakes. This drives away all the negative energy from our house and makes way for positive energy and signifies a fresh start. New clothes are worn and houses are decorated with paints and kolams in the spirit of the festivity.

Thai Pongal

This is the First Day of the Tamil month called “Thai” and the main day of Pongal, is celebrated as Surya Pongal. On this day, the Sun God is honoured. Colourful decorative floor patterns called kolam are drawn at the entrance of one’s home and each household cooks the traditional Pongal dish at auspicious times. Families gather to rejoice and share their joy and their harvests with others.

Maatu Pongal

The third day of Pongal is called Maatu Pongal. On this day the cattle are given a well-deserved rest and are given pride. The Farmers honour their cattle friends by celebrating it as a day of thanks-giving to them for their help in farming – ploughing the land. Cows are decorated and adorned with multi-coloured beads, flower garlands, and bells. They are offered bananas, a special meal and worship.

Kannum Pongal

The fourth day of Pongal is called Kaanum Pongal. Kaanum Pongal means seeing Pongal as this day marks a sightseeing day. On this day, importance is given to strengthening ties. People dress up gaily, families go for a picnic and visit relatives, make a tour and gather together to have a sumptuous meal. It is also a day for traditional Indian folk dances such as mayilattam and kolattam.

How do other countries celebrate Pongal?

Nowadays, many foreign countries have Hindu temples. Likely, Hindu temples in Britain and France celebrate the Pongal festival for Tamilians, while in Mauritius, it is celebrated as a National level festival with great enthusiasm. Countries such as Fiji, Dubai, Australia, and New Zealand, allow to organize grand celebrations in temples and Indian communities. It is also celebrated in many South East Asian countries.

“புத்தாடையில் ஜொலித்திட புத்தரிசியில் பொங்கலிட உழவனை கொண்டாட தமிழனாய் தலை நிமிர்ந்திட இனிய பொங்கல் வாழ்த்துக்கள்”

-HIGS

There are some customs practices followed by Sri Lankans to celebrate Pongal are the same as in India, the Sri Lankans commonly call it is the festival of the “First Rice”.

Significance Of Pongal

India Is An Agricultural Country And The Majority Of The Festivals Are Inclined Towards Nature. Just Like Another Festival, The Pongal Is Referred To As Uttarayan Punyakalam, Which Bears Special Significance In Hindu Mythology And Is Considered Extremely Auspicious. The same day is celebrated in various states of India under different names. The day is celebrated as “Sankranthi” in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. “Mahara Sankranthi” in Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Kerala, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, and Uttar Pradesh. “Utarrayana” in Gujarat and Rajasthan. “Mahi” in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. “Mani Bihu”/ “Bohali Bihu” in Assam. In Singapore, ‘Pongal’ is celebrated as ‘Thanks-giving Day’.

January - Tamil Heritage Month in Canada

As per the announcement in 2016, the Prime Minister of Canada announces January as the “Tamil Heritage Month in Canada”. Last year Prime Minister of Canada encouraged his fellow country people to “reflect on the strong heritage of Canada’s Tamil community”, asserting, “Our nation is stronger and richer because of the contributions of Tamil-Canadians.”

wishes for pongal

“மஞ்சள் கொத்தோடு, மாமரத்து இலையோடு, இஞ்சித் தண்டோடு, எறும்பூரும் கரும்போடு, வட்டப் புதுப்பானை வாயெல்லாம் பால்பொங்க, பட்டுப் புதுச்சோறு பொங்கிவரும் பொங்கலிது! பொங்கல் வாழ்த்துகள்!”

1. “இந்த தைத் திருநாளில் நாம் உண்ண உணவு அளிக்கும் இயற்கை அன்னைக்கும், உழவர்களுக்கும் வாழ்த்துக்கள்”.
2. “பழைய கழிதலும், புதியன புகுதலும் என்ற கொள்கையின் படி, போகியுடன் தொடங்குகிறது இந்த பொங்கல் பண்டிகை”.
3. “அன்பும், அறிவும், ஆசையும், இன்பமும் இந்த திருநாளில் பொங்கலோடு சேர்ந்து பொங்கட்டும். இனிய பொங்கல் வாழ்த்துக்கள்”.
4. “புதுமலரின் வாசமுடன் புன்னகைக்கும் நேசமுடன் புத்துணர்வு பொங்க வாழ்த்தி வரவேற்போம் தைமகளை…”
5. “அறுவடைத் திருநாள், இனிய பொங்கல் நன்னாளில், தமிழர்கள் வாழ்வில் அன்பும், அமைதியும் பெருகி, நலமும், வளமும் பெருகட்டும். ”

“பயிர்த் தொழில் என்பது உயிர்த் தொழிலாம்.. உழுது உழைப்போரும் உறுதுணை நிற்ப்போரும் உண்டு களிப்பொரும் வந்தனை செய்து சூரியனை நன்றி சொல்வோம்!! தரணி செழிக்க.. பொங்கலோ பொங்கல்!!!”

- HIGS

History of the pongal festival

Pongal festival has the very old history. It can be traced back to the Sangam Age. It is considered as the 'தமிழ் அறுவடைத் திருநாள்'. But some historians claim that this festival is dated back at least 2,000 years old. It was celebrated as தை நீராடல். The festival “Pongal” means "to boil, overflow" and refers to the traditional dish prepared from the new harvest of rice boiled in milk with jaggery offered to Lord Surya.

There are several myths about celebrating the Pongal festival. It includes Lord Shiva, cursing Basava (bull) to go to earth and help the people grow crops by helping in plowing the field. People started celebrating this festival with their bulls and the crops they had grown up. So, on this day people will thank cattle for their contributions to the harvest.