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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.
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 history of Pongal can be traced back to the Sangam Age,
ie, 200 B.C. to 300 A.D. Pongal is an ancient festival of
the Tamils and it is not known when exactly the Tamils began
celebrating the festival, but some historians identify it
with the Thai Un and Thai Niradal, believed to have been
celebrated during the Sangam Age. Pongal, a traditional
Tamilian food item that has found a place in the menu of
Indian restaurants across the globe, is perhaps the only
dish to have lent its name to a festival.
As part of the festivities, maidens of the Sangam era
observed penance during the Tamil month of Margazhi
(December-January). Throughout the month, they avoided milk
and milk products. They would not oil their hair and
refrained from using harsh words while speaking. The women
had their ceremonial baths early in the morning.
They worshiped the image of Goddess Katyayani, which would
be carved out of sand. They ended their penance on the first
day of the month of Thai (January-February). This penance
was to bring abundant rains and agricultural prosperity for
the country.
Thai Niradal was a major festival during the reign of the
Pallavas (4th to 8th Century A.D.). Andal's Tiruppavai and
Manickavachakar's Tiruvembavai vividly describe the
festival. According to an inscription found in the
Veeraraghava temple at Tiruvallur, the Chola king Kiluttunga
used to gift lands to the temple specially for the Pongal
celebrations.
According to Hindu mythology, this is when the day of the
gods begins, after a six-month long night. The festival is
spread over three days and is the most important and most
fervently-celebrated harvest festival of South India. A
special puja is performed on the first day of Pongal before
the cutting of the paddy. Farmers worship the sun and the
earth by anointing their ploughs and sickles with sandal
wood paste. It is with these consecrated tools that the
newly-harvested rice is cut.
According to a legend, once Shiva asked his bull, Basava, to
go to the earth and ask the mortals to have an oil massage
and bath every day and to eat once a month. Inadvertently,
Basava announced that everyone should eat daily and have an
oil bath once a month. This mistake enraged Shiva who then
cursed Basava, banishing him to live on the earth forever.
He would have to plough the fields and help people produce
more food. Thus the association of this day with cattle.
Each of the three days are marked by different festivities.
The first day, Bhogi Pongal, is a day for the family. Surya
Pongal, the second day, is dedicated to the worship of Surya,
the Sun God. Boiled milk and jaggery is offered to the Sun
God. The third day of Pongal, Mattu Pongal, is for worship
of the cattle known as Mattu. Cattle are bathed, their horns
polished and painted in bright colors, and garlands of
flowers placed around their necks. The Pongal that has been
offered to the Gods is then given to cattle and birds to
eat. |
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