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PONGAL
must be the only festival in the Indian calendar that
derives its name from a dish of sweet rice. Appropriately
enough it is the day on which the harvest is brought
in.
Pongal
symbolises many things to Tamilians. Primarily it is
the worship of Surya, the Sun God who begins his journey
northwards on this auspicious day. In Sanskrit the word
Shankaramana means 'to begin to move' and the
day, which falls in the middle of January, is celebrated
throughout India; in the north as Makara Sankranti and
in the south as Pongal on January 14.
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| Three
days of offerings |
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A
festival that commemorates the harvest, Pongal is celebrated
over three days. On the first day Pongal is offered to Bhogi
or Indran, the rain god, on the second to Surya, the sun
god and on the third day to the Mattu or cattle. All three
factors being indispensable to a good harvest. It
is the time when the landlord, the farmers and the poor
of a village all get together without any distinctions to
eat and make merry and offer their thanksgiving to the gods
for providing them with food. To the Brahmin the festival
holds a special significance as they offer oblations to
their departed ancestors and begin their spiritual journey
in search of moksha.
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| Legendary
connotations |
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According
to legend, Bhishma, the grand old man of the Mahabharata
waited on his bed of nails for this day to leave his body.
Severely wounded in the battle at Kurukshetra, Bhishma availed
of the boon granted to him of Iccha Mrityu (death
when he desired) and patiently bore the pain until the hour
when he wanted to close his eyes forever. This incident
makes Pongal doubly significant since Bhishma is revered
throughout the length and breadth of the land for his great
fortitude and rectitude. A day of joy it celebrates the
courage and wisdom of one man.
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| The
worship of the sun |
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 But
it is the sun that holds pride of place on Pongal. The
life-giving force without which all would be darkness
is felicitated in various ways. Symbolically letting in
the light in your life means to discard all dark thoughts
and ways and embrace the path of enlightenment. The first
day of the festivities is given over to the cleansing
of the house and the discarding of old and worn out things.
All the houses from the richest to the humblest are thoroughly
scrubbed and whitewashed. Old clothes and shoes are either
thrown away or burnt and rangolis of rice flour
make their appearance at the threshold of every home.
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| Day
two |
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This
day sees the preparation of the newly harvested corn into
various dishes. Ven Pongal is the sweet rice dish that is
offered to the sun god. The pot in which it is cooked is
decorated with turmeric leaves and roots and the women and
children gather round to wait for the rice to overflow.
As soon as it does they set up shouts of 'Pongalo, Pongal'
with great joy and fervour. Traditionally, another savoury
preparation of rice is cooked and both are first offered
to Surya before they are distributed amongst the farmers
and the poor. Presents of clothes and money are also made
completing the cycle of prayer.
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| Love
thy neighbour |
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An
all-embracing love for all created beings is the message
that Pongal brings. The more fortunate ones share their
plenty with their less fortunate brethren and even the birds
and cattle are not exempt from this charity. In fact the
third day of the festival is devoted to the service of the
cattle who have faithfully served their masters in the fields.
The cows are given a well-deserved break from arduous duties,
their horns polished and coloured and hung with bells. They
have garlands of multi-coloured flowers hung round their
necks making them a feast for the eyes. Fed on the richest
corn and sweets the cows have a field day and enjoy themselves
thoroughly.
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| Shedding
joy |
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In
some parts of Tamil Nadu bundles of money are tied to the
horns of cattle and young men show off their physical prowess
by trying to wrest them from the cows and bulls. Very often
this brings in more than just money. Brides are also won
in this fashion by the daring and strong. For the young
village girls it is a day to feed the fish and the birds.
Armed with banana leaves they make their way down to the
river. The leaves are then spread on the banks of the river
and small balls of sweet rice, savoury rice and curd rice
are placed on them. The crows come down in large numbers
to partake of this feast and the maidens do not eat themselves
until the birds and fishes have had their fill.
A
fitting tribute to the properties of the sun, Pongal urges
the devotee to emulate the sun in shedding light on the
paths of darkness. As without the sun there would be no
life the true aspirant must try to ease the burdens of those
whose path through life is hard and thorny. The sun sheds
its lustre impartially on all living things so you must
cast the mantle of your generosity on all without expecting
any rewards. Pongal is aimed at instilling these virtues
in each one of us so that we may enjoy the blessings of
the Supreme Being.
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