The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : From Mud pots to Microwave

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Tuesday, Jan 15, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

From Mud pots to Microwave

Pongal celebrations have gone through various changes over time - from mud pots to bronze pots, stainless steel pots, rice cookers and now the latest entry - microwave oven.

Traditionally on Thai Pongal day, people wake up early in the morning, draw elaborate kolam in the front yard of the house, and boil rice and dhal with fresh milk and jaggery topped with cashew nuts and raisins (Sakkarai Pongal) on a mud pot decorated with flowers, sugarcane pieces, turmeric plant etc., shouting ’Pongal-o-Pongal’ as the dish overflows out of the pot.

Pongal is then offered to the Sun God to seek his benedictions. Women light camphor, break coconuts and seek God’s blessings for a run of good luck.

Growing urbanisation led to changes in the traditions and customs attached to Pongal, however the glitter of the festival has not yet diminished. Pongal in Tamil means boiling over. It is considered a good sign to watch the Pongal made on this day boil over, as it is believed to bring good luck and prosperity.

However, this particular ’custom’ become impossible now a days with people making the dish in cookers and ovens. "We follow all the traditional procedure at our house while making Pongal but instead of pot, we use pressure cookers as the preparation time is very less.

"But we decorate the cooker exactly like how people used to decorate pots, by tying the tender turmeric plant around the body of the cooker and applying sandal paste and kumkum on all its sides".

we accustomed to preparing all dishes using microwave oven along with the stove as it gives lot of time to get ready to office .

Elderly women of the houses are still attached to the traditional way of preparing the special dish.

Despite many changes, the festival of Pongal still captures the quintessence of south Indian culture in all its aspects and the traditional practices and customs continue to hold their own even today.

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Tamil Nadu