Pongal is a four-days-long harvest festival
celebrated in Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India. For as long as people have
been planting and gathering food, there has been some form of harvest festival.
Pongal, one of the most important popular Hindu festivals of the year.
This first day is celebrated as Bhogi festival in honor of Lord Indra, the supreme ruler of clouds that give rains. Homage is paid to Lord Indra for the abundance of harvest, thereby bringing plenty and prosperity to the land. Another ritual observed on this day is Bhogi Mantalu, when useless household articles are thrown into a fire made of wood and cow-dung cakes.
On
the second day of Pongal, the puja or act of ceremonial worship is performed
when rice is boiled in milk outdoors in a earthenware pot and is then
symbolically offered to the sun-god along with other oblations. All people wear
traditional dress and markings, and their is an interesting ritual where
husband and wife dispose off elegant ritual utensils specially used for the
puja. In the village, the Pongal ceremony is carried out more simply but with
the same devotion.
The
third day is known as Mattu Pongal, the day of Pongal for cows. Multi-colored
beads, tinkling bells, sheaves of corn and flower garlands are tied around the
neck of the cattle and then are worshiped. The Fourth day is known as Knau or
Kannum Pongal day. On this day, a turmeric leaf is washed and is then placed on
the ground. On this leaf are placed, the left overs of sweet Pongal and Venn
Pongal, ordinary rice as well as rice colored red and yellow, betel leaves,
betel nuts, two pieces of sugarcane, turmeric leaves, and plantains.
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