Pongal is a harvest festival, which lasts for four days. It is
celebrated across India by different names. Pongal, a harvest festival
is celebrated in the month of Shravan. Pongal literally means, "boiling
over". The Tamil harvest festival is celebrated with decorated
cows, processions and decorative Rangoli. Pongal is a dish, which is a
sweet porridge made from newly harvested rice and eaten by all, even the
animals. Each day of this festival has a special significance and
importance; however, it is celebrated more grandly and elaborately in
the villages, while the city people mainly celebrate on the second day
only. It is widely celebrated in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and
Karnataka. The festival is celebrated for four days. On, the first day,
Bhogi, the old clothes and materials are thrown away and fired, marking
the beginning of a new life. The second day is Perum Pongal, the most
important. It is also called Surya Pongal because people worship Surya,
the Sun God and his consorts, Chaya and Samgnya. Women decorate the
central courtyard of their homes with beautiful kolams, done with rice
flour and bordered with red clay. There are several legends associated
with Perum Pongal.
The third day, Mattu Pongal, is meant to offer thanks to the cows and
buffaloes, as they are used to plough the lands. Jallikattu, a violent
taming the bull contest, marks this day. On the last day, Kanum Pongal,
people go out to picnic. During the Pongal season, people eat sugar
canes and decorate the houses with Kolam. Even though Pongal was
originally a Harvest festival, today all celebrates it. Coinciding with
Makara Sankranti and Lohri of the north, it is also called Pongal
Sankranti and thus celebrated in some form in various parts of India.
The four days of the festival are as follows:
