Pongal (festival)

Thai Pongal is a combination of two Tamil language words: Thai (Tamil: 'தை') referring to the tenth month of the Tamil calendar and Pongal (from pongu) meaning "boiling over" or "overflow." Pongal also refers to a sweet dish of rice boiled with milk and jaggery that is ritually prepared and consumed on the day. == History ==

The principal theme of Pongal is thanking the Sun god Surya, the forces of nature, and the farm animals and people who support agriculture. The festival is mentioned in an inscription found at the Veeraraghava Swamy Temple. Attributed to the Chola king Kulottunga I (1070–1122 CE), the inscription describes a grant of land to the temple for celebrating the annual Pongal festivities. The ninth century Shaiva Bhakti text Tiruvempavai by Manikkavacakar details the festival. == Observance ==

Pongal is a multi-day Hindu harvest festival celebrated by Tamils. Some Tamils celebrate a fourth day of Pongal known as Kanum Pongal. Bhogi Bhogi marks the first day of the Pongal festivities and is celebrated on the last day of the Tamil calendar month Marghazhi. Bhogi is observed on the same day in the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Fruits of the harvest are collected along with flowers of the season and a mixture of treats along with money is given to children, who then separate and collect the money and sweet fruits. Thai Pongal Thai Pongal is the main festive day, celebrated on the next day of Bhogi. It is observed on the first day of the Tamil calendar month of Thai, and usually falls on 14 or 15 January as per the Gregorian calendar. It is dedicated to the Sun deity Surya and corresponds to Makar Sankranti, the harvest festival under various regional names celebrated throughout India. According to tradition, the festival marks the end of winter solstice, and the start of the sun's six-month-long journey northwards when the sun enters the Capricorn, also called as Uttarayana. In rural areas, people sing traditional songs while the pongal dish is cooking. People traditionally offer prayers to the sun in the open and then proceed to eat their meal. A community Pongal is an event where families gather at a public place for a ceremonial worship. Mattu Pongal Mattu Pongal ("Madu" meaning cow in Tamil) is the third day of the festival meant for the celebration of cattle. Some decorate their cows with turmeric water and apply shikakai and kumkuma to their foreheads. The cattle are fed sweets including pongal, jaggery, honey, banana and other fruits. People may prostrate before them with words of thanks for the help with the harvest. The word kanum in the context means "to visit" and families hold reunions on this day. Communities organize social events to strengthen mutual bonds and consume food and sugarcane during social gatherings. Young people visit elders to pay respects and seek blessings, with elders giving gifts to the visiting children. == Traditions and practices ==

decoration Pongal is traditionally an occasion for decorating, offering prayers in the home, temples, getting together with family and friends, and exchanging gifts to renew social bonds of solidarity. The festival is marked with colorful kolam artwork. Kolam is a form of traditional decorative art that is drawn by using rice flour often along with natural or synthetic color powders. It includes geometrical line drawings composed of straight lines, curves and loops, drawn around a grid pattern of dots. Cuisine dish made from rice boiled with cow milk and jaggery The festival is named after the "Pongal" dish, which forms the festival's most significant practice. The dish is prepared by boiling freshly harvested rice in cow milk and raw cane sugar. Temples and communities organize free kitchen prepared by volunteers to all those who gather. Portions of the sweet pongal dish (Sakkarai Pongal) are distributed as the prasadam in temples. It celebrates the harvest and the cooking symbolizes the transformation of the gift of agriculture into nourishment for the gods and the community on a day that when the sun god is believed to start the journey north. It is the ritual dish, along with many other courses prepared from seasonal foods for the gathering. Jallikattu , a traditional bull taming event held during Pongal The day marks a ritual visit to nearby temples where communities hold processions by parading icons from the sanctum of the temple in wooden chariots, drama-dance performances encouraging social gatherings and renewal of community bonds. Kanu Pidi is a tradition observed on Mattu Pongal by women and young girls where they place a leaf of turmeric plant outside their home, and feed pongal dish and food to the birds, particularly crow and pray for their brothers' well being. Brothers pay special tribute to their married sisters by giving gifts as affirmation of their filial love. == Contemporary practices ==

Pongal is observed by Tamil community in Kerala, and it is a local holiday in Idukki, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram, and Wayanad districts. In Attukal Temple near Thiruvanathapuram, Attukal Pongala is celebrated in the month of February–March. This similarly named celebration of Pongala includes dance (Kathakali) and musical performances, and processions featuring the temple goddess. In Karnataka, the festival is celebrated over several days similar to Pongal, and the dish prepared is called "ellu". Decorations and social visits are common during the festivities. Pongal festivities coincide with Makara Sankranthi, Maghi and Bihu celebrated across various parts of India. Sri Lanka In Sri Lanka, Pongal is celebrated by the Sri Lankan Tamils and the Pongal festivities last two days, essentially focused on Thai Pongal day. The custom of cooking Pukkai, a dish similar to Pongal, and made of red rice, mung beans and milk, is carried out on the first day. == Geography ==

Pongal is one of the major festivals celebrated by Tamil people across various religions in Tamil Nadu. It is also celebrated in other parts of South India, and is a major Tamil festival in Sri Lanka. It is observed by the Tamil diaspora worldwide, including those in Malaysia, Mauritius, South Africa, Singapore, United States, Canada, and the Gulf countries. In 2017, Delegate David Bulova introduced a joint resolution HJ573 in the Virginia House of Delegates to designate January 14 of each year as Pongal Day. ==See also==