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Bawarchi: Indian Festivals: Pongal
Thursday, Dec 20 2007
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By Malini Bisen
The great diversity of Indian religious beliefs and the varied
cultured traditions of the different states are very interesting and
this is seen in the festival of Pongal.
"May the pot of prosperity boil over
May the Pongal that we cook,
the fragrance of turmeric
the taste of sugarcane, ginger and honey
Bring the joy of Pongal into our homes
May the blessings of the Sun God flood our lives.
With many other verses like this the people of Tamil Nadu greet the
great festival of Pongal celebrated all over the South as Makar
Sankranti, in Tamil Nadu it has an additional significance as Pongal
welcomes the occasion of the incoming harvest.
The Puranas, usually prolific in legends connected with festivals,
have little to say about this Pongal festival. It is in all
probability a Dravidian harvest festival that has survived the
preponderant influence of the Indo-Aryan religion in the South.
There is a beautiful Tamil composition of the ancient Sangam period
which was known for the ancient Tamil Academics. This charming
composition describes the joy of a love-born young woman on the return
of her husband from the battlefield. Her happiness is likened to the
month before Pongal. When, with the end of rains, the "kaya" flowers
blossom, the tender `Konrai' flowers shower their golden polen on the
ground, the white "kandal" flowers blossom, the tender `Konrai' plant
is in full bloom and with receding clouds the female and male deer are
making love in the fields. This poem describes the mood of
anticipation and excitement of the people in Tamil Nadu which gets its
main rains from the north-eastern monsoon in October and November and
the harvest is gathered in the period just preceding this Pongal
festival.
This festival of Pongal falls in the month of January after the winter
solistice and as such this Pongal festival marks the favourable course
of the Sun. It is a three-day festival and the fourth day is a day for
outdoors and excursions.
The first day is celebrated as the BHOGI PONGAL and is usually meant
for domestic activities and of being together with the family
members. This first day is celebrated in honour 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.
An interesting story is told that Indra, being worshipped by all on
this day, became proud and arrogant Lord Krishna to teach him a lesson
asked his shepherd friends to worship Mount Govardhan instead of Indra
on Bhogi Pongal day. Terribly enraged, Indra sent forth the seven
clouds to bring forth thunder, lightning and heavy rains to cause
deluge to destroy the shepherds. But Lord Krishna lifted up the
Govardhan mountain under which the shepherds and their cattle got full
shelter. Then Indra begged Krishna's forgiveness and once more Lord
Krishna allowed Bhogi celebrations to continue in honour of
Indra. There is a beautiful carving at Mahabalipuram showing Krishna
lifting Govardhan.
On this day before sunrise a huge bonfire is lit in front of the
houses and all the useless household things are thrown into the
fire. The burning of all that is old is symbolic of the starting of a
fresh new year. The bonfire is kept burning throughout the night while
boys beat little drums known by the name "Bhogi Kottus" made from the hides
of buffaloes.
Homes are cleaned till they literally shine and are adorned with
"Kolam" designs drawn with white paste of newly-harvested rice and
outlines of the Kolam designs with red mud. In villages yellow pumpkin
flowers are set out in cow-dung balls in the middle of the
designs. The harvest of rice, turmeric and sugarcane is brought in and
kept ready for the next day's festivities.
The second day of Pongal is known as SURYA PONGAL and is dedicated to
the Sun God. On this day the granaries are full, sun shines brightly,
trees are in full bloom, bird-songs resound in the air and hearts
overflow with happiness that get translated into colourful and joyous
celebrations. A plank is placed on the ground and Kolam designs are
drawn on its sides. In the centre of the plank is drawn a large figure
of the Sun God with his effulgent rays. The "Puja" of the Sun God
starts after the auspicious moment of the birth of the new month
THAI. Prayers are rendered to the Sun God to seek his benedictions.
The word `Pongal' literally has two connotations. Firstly it is the
name of the special dish cooked on this day and secondly the word
"Ponga" means "boil". So the word 'Pongal' means that which is
overflowing. The preparation of this special dish needs a new mud-pot
called Pongapani on which artistic designs are drawn. The village fair
where these pots of different shapes and designs are sold is truly an
aesthetic treat for the eyes to behold as also the specially set up
colourful sugarcane market. While the `Puja' is being performed, the
neck of the Pongapani is tied with fresh turmeric and fresh ginger
saplings with tender green leaves. The green leaves are symbolic of
prosperity, the turmeric of auspiciousness, ginger for the spice of
life. The special dish called "Sarkkarai Pongal" is cooked in this
mud-pot. After the rituals of puja are over "Sarkkarai Pongal" with
sticks of sugarcane is offered to the Sun god as a thanksgiving for
the plentiful harvest. Sugarcane that is offered is symbolic for
sweetness and happiness in life. It is said that on this day Lord
Sundareshwar in the Madurai temple performed a miracle and breathed
life into a stone elephant who could eat sugarcane. The carving of
this event is in Meenakshi temple. From this month of THAI starts the
marriage season in Tamil Nadu.
The THIRD day is MATTU PONGAL which is the festival of cattle. To the village people cow, the giver of milk and the bull which draws the
plough in the fields are very valuable and therefore the farmers
honour their dumb friends by celebrating it as a day of thanks-giving
to them. The cattle are washed, their horns are painted and covered
with shining metal caps. Multi-coloured beads, tinkling bells, sheafs
of corn and flower garlands are tied around their necks. They are fed
with pongal and taken to the village centres. The resounding of their
bells attract the villagers as the young men race each other's
cattle. The entire atmosphere becomes festive and full of fun and
revelry. Big commotion is seen when the game "Manji Virattu" starts in
which groups of young men chase the running bulls.
In some places "Jallikattu" is arranged. It is a bull-fight in which
money bags are tied to the horns of ferocious bulls and unarmed young
men are asked to wrest them from the bull's horns.
On the Mattu Pongal day Lord Ganesh and Goddess Parvati are worshipped
and Pongal is offered to them in the `puja'.
This day is also known by the name of Kanu Pongal when coloured balls
of cooked rice are placed in the open air by girls for the birds and
crows to eat. With each ball of rice that the sister makes she prays
for her brother's happiness and the brothers and sisters wherever they
may be remember each other.
Community dinners are also held when rich and poor, the landlord and
the peasant, the old and the young, women and children all dine together
forgetting the distinction of caste or class. All share in the spirit
of fonhomic.
Pongal is a festival when god is praised with a simple faith and
sincerity. Old vices are all washed out and all that is good is
welcomed in this New year. This festival is of all living things, of
man, his beast and his crop and of the birds that fly in the sky
making man look up to the heaven in joy and thankfulness to God for
everything that He gives to man specially peace and happiness and the
feeling of brotherhood.
SARKKARAI PONGAL
Ingredients :
2 litres milk10 almonds1 1/2 cups newly harvested rice1/4 cup moong dal15 cashewnuts1 1/2 cup jaggery grated30 kishmis1/4 level teaspoon nutrieg powder1/4 teaspoon saffron crushed 1 teaspoon cardamom powder2 tablespoons ghee.
Method:
Chop almonds and cashewnuts.
Clean kishmis
Pour milk in the earthen pot called `Pongapani' and place it on fire.
When the milk starts boiling add rice and dal, after washing.
As soon as the rice and dal are cooked to softness, add jaggery and ghee.
Let cook on medium fire for some time and then put in almond and cashewnut bits, saffron nutrieg and cardamom powders.
Lastly put in the kishmis.
Bring to one or two good boils.
This SARKKARAI PONGAL is cooked in the Sun in courtyard and served directly from the pot.
The article is provided by Malini Bisen.
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http://www.bawarchi.com/festivals/pongal.html
Bawarchi: Pongal 2008 July
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Provides an overview of the festival and includes a recipe for a traditional dish.
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