Pongal

Pongal wishes to everyone. In Tamilnadu, 14th January every year is celebrated as Pongal Festival. This is one of the biggest festival in Tamilnadu, India. This is the first day of the month Thai, celebrated to thank the Sun god, the Mother nature and also celebrated to thank various farm animals which helps to give the great harvest. The world famous Jallikattu is also celebrated during this day in various parts of Tamilnadu.

I wish everyone the great beginning on this pongal day and achieve all success in life. This festival is named after the traditional sweet dish Pongal made with rice boiled in milk and jaggery. It is offered to the gods and goddesses and then enjoyed by the family. The origin of pongal dish can be traced back to the Chola period.

Pongal conveys the notion of letting go of the past and welcoming the new beginnings. It is believed that receiving the Sun's blessings results in good crop as wells as prosperity and happiness. Most people across the globe would have heard about Jallikattu. Bos Indicus bulls are bred specially by people of the village for the event. Bulls that are able to participate successfully in the Jallikattu event are used as studs for breeding. These bulls also fetch higher prices in the markets.

According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva once asked Basava (Bull) to visit the earth and ask the human to have an oil massage and bath every day. But Basava announced that eat daily and have an oil bath once a month. This makes lord Shiva furious and he cursed Basava (Bull) to live on the earth forever and said that Basava has to plough the fields and help people produce more food. Hence the people after harvesting celebrates this festival with crops and cattle.

Jallikattu has been known to be practiced during the Tamil classical period (400-100 BCE). It became a platform for displaying bravery, and prize money was introduced for participation encouragement. A seal from the Indus Valley Civilization depicting the practice is preserved in the National Museum, New Delhi. A cave painting in Madurai depicting a lone man trying to control a bull is estimated to be about 1500 years old.

This celebration run for 4 days each with its own importance. The first day is called the Bhogi festival, the second day is called Thai Pongal, the third day is called Maatu Pongal and the fourth day is called Kaanum Pongal. First day bhogi is to throw away the old and get the new, this means throw away all our old worries or bad things in life and start a new one with full of joy and happiness.

Second is the Thai pongal, this is thanks giving to sun god, mother earth and animals helped for better agriculture. Third day is Maatu pongal specially saying thanks to bull's (this does not refer to bull in stock market). Fourth day is the Kaanum pongal, which is meant to meet and be with relatives, friends, elders and get their blessings to have a better life in future. All these four days are very special in Tamil culture and considered as the first and biggest festival of the calendar year of Tamil people across the globe. 

I wish everyone a great success and a new beginning on this occasion.

Have a Great Day

B G Nareshkumar