Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
A New BEGINNING
|
Tamil New Year begins with Pongal
|
PONGAL IS celebrated all over the south as Makar Sankranti. In Tamil Nadu it has an additional significance as an occasion of the new harvest. It falls in the month of January after the winter solstice and as such, Pongal festival marks the favourable course of the sun. It is a three-day festival with the fourth day devoted to outdoor activities.
The first day is celebrated as Bhogi Pongal, which is meant for domestic activities and the family celebrates together. Celebrated in honour of Lord Indra, homage is paid to Him for the abundance of harvest that brings prosperity to the land.
On this day, before sunrise a huge bonfire is lit in front of the house and all the household trash thrown into it. The burning of all that is old is symbolic of the start of a new year. The bonfire is kept burning throughout the night while boys beat little drums called "Bhogi Kottus" made from the hide of buffaloes.
Homes are cleaned and adorned with `kolam' designs drawn with white paste of newly harvested rice . In villages, yellow pumpkin flowers are set in cow-dung balls in the middle of the designs. The harvest of rice, turmeric and sugarcane is brought in and kept ready for the next day's festivities.
The second day of Pongal known as Surya Pongal is dedicated to the Sun God. On this day the figure of sun God is drawn on a plank with kolam designs on its sides. `Puja' of the Sun God starts after the auspicious moment at the birth of the new month Thai. The word `Pongal' literally has two connotations. Firstly it is the name of the special dish cooked on this day and secondly the word "'Ponga" means `boil'. So the word `Pongal' means that, which is overflowing. The preparation of this special dish needs a new mud-pot called Pongapani, on which artistic designs are drawn.
The village fair where these pots of different shapes and designs are sold is truly an aesthetic treat for the eyes to behold, as also the specially set up colourful sugarcane market. While the `puja' is performed, the neck of the Pongapani is tied with fresh turmeric and fresh ginger saplings with tender green leaves. The green leaves are symbolic of prosperity, the turmeric of luck and ginger for the spice of life. The special dish called "'Sarkkarai Pongal" is cooked in this mud-pot. After the puja is over "Sarkkarai Pongal" is offered to the Sun God as a thanksgiving for the plentiful harvest, with sticks of sugarcane. Sugarcane is symbolic of sweetness and happiness in life. It is said that on this day Lord Sundareshwar in the Madurai temple performed a miracle and breathed life into a stone elephant that could eat sugarcane. The carving of this tale is in the Meenakshi temple at Madurai. From this month of Thai starts the marriage season in Tamil Nadu.
The third day is mattu pongal, which is the festival of cattle. To the villagers, the cow, giver of milk and the bull, which draws the plough in the fields, are very valuable and therefore the farmers honour them by celebrating it as a day of thanksgiving. The cattle are washed; their horns painted and covered with shining metal caps. Multi-coloured beads, tinkling bells, sheaves of corn and flower garlands are tied around their necks. They are fed with pongal and taken to the village centres. The resounding of their bells attracts the villagers as the young men engage in a cattle race. The atmosphere becomes festive. There is big commotion when the game "Manji Virattu" starts, in which groups of young men chase the running bulls.
In some places "Jallikattu" is arranged. It is a bullfight in which moneybags are tied to the horns of ferocious bulls and unarmed young men are asked to wrest them from the bull's horns.
On Mattu Pongal day Lord Ganesh and Goddess Parvati are worshipped and pongal is offered to them in the `puja'. This day is also known by the name of Kanu Pongal, when girls place coloured balls of cooked rice in the open air for the birds to eat. With each ball of rice that the sister makes, she prays for her brother's happiness .
Community dinners are also held when rich and poor, the landlord and the peasant, the old and the young, women and children all dine together forgetting the distinction of caste or class. All share in the spirit of bonhomie.
Sarkkarai Pongal
Ingredients
Milk-2litres
Rice-1cup
Moong dal-1/4 cup
Jaggery-1cup
Ghee-2tbsp
Almonds-10
Cashew nuts-10
Kismis-20
Nutmeg powder-1/4tsp
Saffron-a pinch
Cardamom powder-1/2tsp
Method
Pour milk in an earthen pot called `Pongapani' and place it on fire. When the milk starts boiling add newly harvested rice and moong dal, after washing. Chop almonds and cashew nuts. Clean and wash the kismis. As soon as the rice and dal are cooked , add grated jaggery and ghee. Cook on medium fire for some time and put in almond and cashew nuts saffron, nutmeg and cardamom powder. Lastly put in the kismis. Bring to one or two boils. Many cook sarkkarai pongal in the sun, by placing the pot in the courtyard and directly serving from it.
LILY BABU JOSE
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
