Pongal (Makar Sankranti) – A Festival of Hindus
This is an auspicious occasion for the Hindus, celebrated in all parts of India with great fervor and enthusiasm. Pongal is the only festival of Hindu that follow a solar calendar, an interesting fact about this festival is that it falls on same date every year in the month of January on fourteenth. This festival has an astronomical significance; it is the beginning of UTTARAYANA, the suns movement northward for a period of six months. This movement of the sun is considered as auspicious for the Hindus.
In Hindu temples bells, drums, clarinets herald the joyous occasion of Pongal. The rituals performed in the temple are preparation of rice in new pots, praying to god and offerings as vegetables, sugar cane and spices. Devotees then consume the offerings to erase their past sins and make a fresh beginning.
This is also known as the kite flying festival in India where in some villages they have competitions among different families. This is also known as the harvest festival where it marks the end of the traditional farming season. In fact, four festivals are celebrated in that week, BHOGI on January 13th, PONGAL on January 14th, MATTU PONGAL on January 15th, KANUM on January 16th.
Bhogi, this festival is celebrated on the first day where all the old clothes and materials are thrown away and fired, making a new beginning of a new life. Pongal day, the second day is celebrated by boiling fresh milk early morning and allowing it to boil over the vessel which is a tradition. People make special food varieties and sweets visiting each others homes and exchange greetings. Mattu Pongal the third day which is meant for offering thanks to all the cows and buffalos as they are used of farming to plough lands. On the last day Kanum Pongal, people go out for picnic.
The harvest festival of Pongal symbolizes the veneration of first fruit. The crop is harvested only after certain time of the year, even though Pongal is celebrated originally by farming community but today it is celebrated by all. Finally, these three days of Pongal are very auspicious for south Indians.