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Saturday 8 January 2011

Pongal Festival 2011



Pongal is a famous festival celebrated in southern part of India in regard of Harvesting and worshiping the Sun .Pongal day is also known as"Tamizhar Thirunal" as it is a day of celebrations for the farmers and common man.Pongal is celebrated continuously for four days  in the name of Boggi ,Pongal ,Mattu Pongal and Kannum Pongal.Pongal dates fall between the end of Margazhi and start of Thai in Tamil Calender and in the month of January in English calender.This year Pongal is celebrated on January 15 ,2011.

Pongalo Pongal

Boggi Pongal, the first day-throwing old clothes and materials out in the fire burning
Cleaning the house and decorating it with kolams indicating a new beginning

Worshiping the Sun God on the second day of the Pongal we all shout aloud 
"PONGALO PONGAL" , when from the pot the boiling jaggery with rice flows out

New dresses and sweet dishes , an auspicious moment of happiness found
Chewing the pieces of sugar canes ,we sit and chat around

Third day is the Mattu Pongal where the farm animals are thanked 
And harvesting cows are cleaned and then colourfully decorated 

With children on their cart,they go for a fun ride in the evening
Making the roads sound in festive moods of cling cling cling

The fourth day is Kannum Pongal where family and relatives visit
Wishing each other prosperity, love and exchanging gifts  

"Wishing everyone a Happy Pongal"

11 comments:

  1. I've been in Kerala for more than two years and didn't even know about this! Thanks for the heads-up.

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  2. And a happy Pongal to YOU!

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  3. Uma, enjoy your Pongal celebration. Thanks for the footnotes.
    Pamela

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  4. Very interesting hearing about Pongal. It sounds like a fun festival. I need to do the first step - the cleaning of the house and getting rid of extra things! Happy Pongal!

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  5. HAPPY PONGAL TO YOU TOO!!!

    Im all excited and waiting for it...

    Blog on how your pongal was k...

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  6. Thank you for teaching me something new and lovely today. Happy Pongal!

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  7. Uma,
    Thank you for sharing this wonderful day with us.
    Happy Pongal to you and your family.

    Best wishes, Eileen

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