Happy Pongal 2023 !
Happy Pongal 2023 !. Pongal is a traditional South Indian harvest festival that is celebrated on the 14th or 15th of January, to mark the beginning of the harvest season.
It is a four-day festival and is celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy by people from the Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and other parts of South India.
Happy Pongal 2023 !
The festival is also known as “Thai Pongal” and is dedicated to the Sun God, as it marks the end of the winter solstice and the start of the sun’s six-month-long journey to the northern hemisphere. Pongal is typically celebrated with prayers, traditional food, and cultural activities.
Pongal is a festival of great significance for farmers, as it marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of a new one.
During the festival, people prepare traditional dishes, decorate their homes, and participate in various cultural activities.
One of the most important rituals of Pongal is the cooking of the Pongal dish, which is made from rice, dal, and jaggery or sugar.
This dish is then offered to the Sun God as a symbol of gratitude for the bountiful harvest.
Another important aspect of Pongal is the Kolam, a traditional art form where people use rice flour to create intricate designs on the ground in front of their homes.
Happy Pongal 2023 !
These designs are usually geometric patterns and are meant to bring good luck and prosperity.
Pongal is also a time for families to come together and celebrate.
Many people visit their relatives and friends during the festival, and Pongal is also a popular time for marriages.
Overall, Pongal is a festival that celebrates the abundance of the harvest. The importance of family and community, and the power of nature.
It is a time for people to come together and express gratitude for the blessings of the previous year and to look forward to the future with hope and optimism.
In addition to the rituals and customs mentioned above. Pongal also includes the celebration of Mattu Pongal, which is dedicated to the worship of cows and bulls.
These animals are considered sacred in Hinduism and are decorated with flowers. And bells before being taken out for a parade.
On the third day of Pongal, called Kaanum Pongal. People visit their relatives and friends, and exchange sweets and savouries.
The day is also a traditional day for sports and games such as tug-of-war and bull-riding.
On the final day, called Kanni Pongal. Young unmarried girls observe a ritual in which they decorate a clay pot with turmeric and kumkum. Fill it with paddy. And place it in the courtyard, praying for a good husband.
The Pongal festival is a time when people express gratitude to the nature and the animals that help in the farming process and also it is a way to celebrate the abundance of the harvest and the joy of a new beginning.
