It is a colourful festival and celebrated by Hindus all over the world. Homes and streets are decorated with kolam floor artwork and Thai Pongal is celebrated. The festival is marked by boiling the first rice of the harvest, which is sanctified by the Sun. Pongal is a festival that is celebrated
“Thanks giving festival to Sun God”
to thank the Sun God and Lord Indra for helping farmers in getting better-yielding crops. The harvest festival is celebrated over four days with each day having a different ritual. It is a major festival that is celebrated with great religious fervor in the state of Tamil Nadu.The first day of Pongal is celebrated by paying respect to the rain Gods who are responsible in ensuring a good crop year.lt is a major festival that is celebrated with great religious fervor in the state of Tamil Nadu. The most important aspect of this festival is cooking the Pongal dish. Ven Pongal is made of rice mixed with moong daal, ghee, cashew nuts, raisins and
mild spices. There’s also a sweet version of pongal called Sakkarai pongal. Pongal is also the name of a sweetened dish of rice boiled in milk and jaggery that is ritually consumed on this day. Pongal is cooked in clay pots, on stoves made with stones and wood is used as fuel. Pongal is a three-day Hindu festival majorly celebrated in south India. It is celebrated in the
winters when the sun reaches its southernmost point according to the Hindu calculations. Derived from a Tamil word, Pongal means to boil. In 2024, the Pongal dates are from January 15th to January 18th.People believe that Pongal brings good wishes, wealth, peace and prosperity. To mark the festival, the pongal sweet dish is prepared, first offered to the gods and goddesses (goddess Pongal),
Hindu Lath. preparing the pongal rice followed sometimes with an offering to cows, and then shared by the family. Festive celebrations include decorating cows and their horns, ritual bathing and processions. It is traditionally an occasion for decorating rice-powder based kolam artworks, offering prayers in the home, temples, getting together with family and friends, and exchanging gifts to renew social bonds of solidarity.
