On the day the sun commences its journey to the north is the day when the Tamilians celebrate Pongal on January 14.

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.

Three days of offerings
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.

Legendary connotations
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.

The worship of the sun
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.


Day two
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.

Love thy neighbour
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.

Shedding joy
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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