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| .Harvest festival Pongal, 2024. oneindia.com |
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| Pongal festival Ja. 2024 behance.net/ |
The annual harvest festival goes by different names - Makar Sankranti in Maharashtra and Gujarat, Magh Bihu in the NE states, Lahiri in Punjab and Haryana, Sankranti in Karnataka and Andhra and Pongala in Kerala. However, among the diverse cultures and traditions, the auspicious festivities mark the beginning of a new prosperous season, relegating the negative aspects to the backstage.
Some of the important traditions associated with Pongal in South India are as follows:
Bhogi or Bhogi Mantalu marks the cleaning of the household and disposing of old and unwanted stuff, Sometimes they they set bonfires and throw the stuff into them. They spend the evening by the bonfire, singing, dancing and enjoying seasonal snacks. This practice is on the decline lately as this causes air-pollution. Apart, women folks draw beautiful pookalams (rangoli) in front of the house and in the puja room and impart a positive ambiance.
Thai Pongal ; Pongal is the main day and on this dat women use decorated earthen pot with mango leaves and turmeric leaves and prepare Pongal using rice, milk jaggery, grated coconut, nut, etc preferably using hearth. The dish is cooked to boil and overflow the brim. The boiling and overflowing symbolizes abundance and prosperity .
Mattu Pongal - worshiping of farm animals. This festivity gives importance to farm cattle, bulls and cows as they are an integral part of agriculture in the rural areas. Indian farmers never fail to miss the event and celebrate it on a grand scale by bathing, decorating and feeding the cattle. Before feeding them, village women offer prayer and worship them. It is a time-honored old tradition that is being followed for centuries. Before the advent od tractor and farm equipment the farmers relied on the bulls to plough the field and transport the produce to the markets.
Khanum Pongal is the concluding event in which women folks, particularly unmarried young girls participate. In the household after bathing and wearing traditional dress women prepare a variety of cooked rice food and put them on the plantain leaves. Young girls pray for a good husband and also the the welfare of the family members.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pongal_(festival)
