Pongal in Tamil Naidu (13th/14th April)

Mid-April witnesses people of Tamil origin welcome the New Year in accordance with their solar calendar in the month of Chitterai. This is regarded as the holiest of months and Pongal falls in its first week. This day is also celebrated as Makara Sankranti in other parts of India and is also regarded as a harvesting festival. 'Pongal' is the name of rice and lentil dish that is cooked in Tamil Naidu, particularly on the day of Pongal.

The four-day long harvest festival of Tamil Nadu, Pongal is celebrated from January 13 to 16 every year. While each of its days has a special religious significance, most urban people celebrate second day as the main festival. On the first day known as Bhogi, people clean out their homes thoroughly and in the evening, all unwanted goods are lit in a bonfire. On the second day known as Surya Pongal, the first day of the Tamil month Thai, the celebrations actually begins and the Sun God 'Surya' is worshipped. Before sunrise, women make elaborate 'kolum' patterns in front of their doorways or home with colored rice flour to welcome the sun. Everybody wears new clothes and new utensils or household items are bough. 'Ponga' literally means overflowing and is named so because of the tradition of cooking the new rice in pots until they overflow, which is symbolic of abundance and prosperity.

As the rice overflows, children and adults shout out 'Pongal-o Pongal!'. A dish is prepared called Venpongal from rice, pulses and sugar, which is eaten with brinjal, sambar, vadai and idli. There are other pongal varieties too, all having different recipes. The third day is known as Maatu Pongal and is devoted to the cattle. Cows and bulls are decorated and worshipped on this day. In some villages in south India, various forms of bull fights were organized but have become a rarity now-a-days. The fourth day known as Kaanum Pongal is meant to visit family members, where the younger members pay homage to the elders while the elders pay them token money as gifts. Food is also served to birds on this day, on banana leaves. Pongal is basically an agricultural festival and is more associated with the rural life.