Basant Panchami Festival
Pongal festival falls on the same day
each year, on 13th January, coinciding with the festivals
of Lohri in Punjab and Goop in Andhra Pradesh.
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The Pongal Celebration
The actual festivities of Pongal begin on 14th January
and last for four days. From an astrological standpoint, this is a
propitious period because this is the time when the sun enters the
Northern Hemisphere. The sun traverses from the Tropic of Capricorn to
the Tropic of Cancer via the Equator (from 14th January to
14th July), and this auspicious movement is termed as
uttarayan (summer solstice). The sanctity of the uttarayan period is
borne out by an interesting tale from the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata.
The doyen of the Kaurava clan, Bhishma Pitama, lay on a bed of arrows
in the battlefield of Kurukshetra (see Haryana). Though he was blessed
with the boon of being the sole arbiter of his own time of death and
inspite of being in terrible pain, he waited for the period of
uttarayan to breathe his last.
¤ The Festive Preparations
The months preceding Pongal are spent sowing seeds, cultivating
short-term crops and so on, keeping the farmers continuously on their
toes. So Pongal is the time when the farmers rejoice in the fruits of
their labour and nobody grudges them a few days of rest and
recreation.
South Indian households are spring cleaned a few days prior to the
festival, much in the same manner as north Indian households are
before Diwali. Damaged utensils, frayed furniture and tapestry are
replaced with spanking new ones, in anticipation of the coming
festivities. Though south Indian homes are kept spic and span, dust
and dirt do manage to sneak in regularly. Consequently the homemakers
in the south have to put in a lot of hard work before the day of the
festival. New clothes are a temptation that few can resist, especially
during the festival season. Women buy exquisite saris and young girls
add new langhas and dhavnis (half sari) to their wardrobes. Men do not
lag far behind, resplendently dressed in brand new lungis and
angavastrams (a cotton or silk shawl, white or off-white with zari
border, thrown over the shoulder). The colourful attires of the people
echo the exuberance and gaiety of the occasion.
¤ The Mythological Stories
Known as the bhogi pandigai, the first day is an ode to Lord Indra,
the bestower of the much-needed rain. Because of his penchant for
worldly pleasures, Lord Indra has been nicknamed bhogi, or one who
enjoys the good things of life. Indeed a description of this day is
incomplete without the intriguing and delightfully human mythological
legend accompanying it. According to the story, an irate Lord
Krishna (the blue god and an incarnation of Vishnu, the Preserver)
directed the earthlings to worship Narayan (another incarnation of
Vishnu) instead of Indra, for the latter lead a decadent life. The
insulted and humiliated Indra gave vent to his fury by lashing the
earth with torrential rain. But Indra’s prowess proved to be
unequal to that of Lord Krishna for the latter nonchalantly picked up
the mighty Govardhan Mountain on his little finger to protect the
people from the deluge. After a heartfelt plea for pardon, a deeply
repentant Indra was finally reinstated as a god worthy of reverence.
¤ The Pongal Day
 Let’s
leave the celestial peccadilloes of gods behind, and take a peek into
a Tamil household. Tumbling out of bed at the first blush of the
morning sun, a ritual til (sesame seed) oil massage followed by an
invigorating bath with shikakai or any other homemade preparation to
enrich the skin, is the first task of the day.
A feeling of anticipation and excitement is palpable in the air. The
highlight of the day is the bonfire in which old rugs, mats, papers,
clothes, etc. are burnt – an age-old ritual to bid adieu to the
old and joyously ring in the new. As always, children are in their
element as nothing pleases them more than making a ruckus. On this
day, they have a blast (literally speaking!) by beating drums
especially made for this occasion and dancing around flames – an
effective antidote to the nip in the air. If one is to believe in
legends, this month of maargazhi (ninth month of the lunar calendar)
is sacred because Lord Krishna, the blue deity of the Hindus, is said
to mostly manifest himself during this time.
¤ Festive Delicacies
Food plays an important role in any Indian festival. Lunch on the
first day of Pongal is an elaborate family affair with delicacies like
poli (sweets), vadai (salty dish) and an assortment of rice
preparations. The women of the house are supposed to keep sandalwood
paste, kumkum (vermilion), mango leaves, coconut fronds, sugarcane
leaves, banana leaves, ginger pieces, white flour, new brass vessels,
haldi (turmeric) powder and a metal plate ready in advance.
The celebration of makar sankranti in other parts of India coincides
with the second day of Pongal, which is also the first day of the new
month of thai or magh (10th month of the lunar calendar).
Each Tamil home has enchanting green chains made of mango leaves
decorating doorways and pillars. Banana and sugarcane plants along
with coconut fronds are strategically placed at the gateways, forming
a leafy archway. Strings of marigold add a dash of colour enhancing
the freshness of the lush foliage. Women, young and old, decorate the
floors with kolam (patterns made by coloured powders). Countless
masterpieces are created in the form of kolams, and the craftsmanship
would probably put even the most accomplished artist to shame.
¤ The Festive Activities Throughout The Day
There is a constant hum of activities throughout the day with people
visiting to admire the exquisitely decorated houses and newly bought
articles. Women have to take time out amongst all the fun and frolic
to prepare a feast fit for a king. Cooking vessels are adorned with
mango leaves, turmeric leaves, ginger saplings, dots of vermilion,
turmeric and various other things, and placed on the fire only by the
lady of the house. Specialties of the day include the venpongal (salty
dish) and chakkaraipongal (dish made with jaggery) that are then taken
out in the sun along with coconuts and other fruits. Amidst chanting
of mantras that mean ‘I give to you what you had given to me’
and Sanskrit shlokas glorifying the Sun or the ‘sustainer of life’,
aarti (prayer with lamps) is performed. The ceremonial surya namaskar
(worship of the Sun God) is performed keeping in mind the solemnity of
the occasion. It is considered sacred to observe the sun either
through fingers intertwined in a particular way so the rays do not
directly impact the eye, or on a thaali (plate) full of water mixed
with vermilion and turmeric. The festivities of the day are rounded
off with a sumptuous lunch of idli (rice dumpling), dosa (paper-thin
pancakes made of lentils) and rice cooked in different styles.
¤ Maatu Pongal Celebrations
In keeping with India’s reputation as the land of the sacred
cow, the third day is known as maatu pongal. Maatu in Tamil means cow
or bull. Cattle represents prosperity and is worshipped. Cows
and bulls are bedecked with tinkling bells, and turmeric mixed with
vermilion is smeared on the horns. A cattle procession is taken out
and people offer fruits and other goodies to the animals. However, the
main attraction of this day is the bullfight in which young men
participate with more enthusiasm than skill. Though chances of an
injury are high, the young Romeos do not mind taking the risk,
especially as that entails a hero’s welcome from the comely
village belles. Gambling and betting are part of the game. The revelry
carries on till very late with people dancing and singing to the beat
of the mridungam and dhol (drums of different kinds).
¤ Kaanum ponga
Kaanum pongal is the final day of the festival. After so many days of
merrymaking, people take things easy on this day. No new venture is
undertaken today because it is considered a karinaal (inauspicious)
day. The spirit of sharing bounty with all – animals and human
alike – is embodied in the rituals associated with kanyapongal
(another name of the last day). A variety of rice preparations along
with curd are served on banana or turmeric leaves and left outside so
that all kinds of creatures like birds, ants, squirrels and the like
can partake of the fare and the good fortune.
Resembling the north Indian festival of Raksha Bandhan when the
sister ties a rakhi on the wrist of her brother as a token of love and
in return for protection, this day celebrates the bond between
siblings in the south as well. The parents or brothers invite their
married daughters and sisters along with their families for a grand
luncheon whereby the women pray for the long life and prosperity of
their parents, brothers and children. A token gift in cash or kind is
a must (according to the sister) from the brother or mother.
Thus ends the festival of Pongal with a reaffirmation of traditional
values such as family and sharing. Today there is an increase in the
number of households celebrating Pongal, as north Indians too are
eager to join in the festivities, ever ready to dig into the dishes
prepared at this time.
Read more about Pongal
Festival |
