Joy and thankfulness to God is the base of every Hindu festival. When it comes to the great cultural diversity and Indian religious beliefs, Pongal in south India is one such festival that is popular for varied cultured traditions. The festival is also celebrated in north India with the name ‘Sankranthi‘. People pray to the Sun God on this occasion, as it is very powerful and helps in the growth of the paddy and other plantations. Therefore, this festival is very important for the farmers specially.
Astronomical & Religious Significance
Pongal boasts of being the only Hindu festival that follows a solar calendar and is celebrated on the January 14, every year. Astronomically, this is the time when Uttarayana (the Sun’s movement towards north for a six month period) begins. This is considered very auspicious among Hindus. A number of important events are scheduled during this period.
Celebrations
Pongal, the four-day celebration, is basically a Dravidian Harvest festival. The first day – ‘Bhogi Pongal’ – is known for domestic activities and is celebrated in the honor of Lord Indra. The second day – ‘Surya Pongal’ is dedicated to the Sun God and lets you enjoy various cultural activities. The third day is ‘Mattu Pongal’ which is the festival of cattle (milk giver animals). It is dedicated to Lord Ganesha and Goddess Parvati. The last one is ‘Kaanum Pongal’ when people spend time together and visit their friends or relatives.
Temples are decorated with bells, drums, rangoli etc. Sweets, especially made of rice, are cooked and offered to the Sun God as a ritual. People also decorate their houses with garlands and colourful rangoli.