Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated by the south Asian community. It is a celebration to thank the Sun, Mother Nature and the various farm animals that help to contribute to a bountiful harvest.
Pongal festival is closely related to Tamil Nadu and Tamil culture and is enthusiastically celebrated by Tamil people all over the world.
Pongal is a religious, cultural, and social festival hosted as a thanks giving to the Sun god and the elements of nature for supporting agriculture.
The harvest festival of Pongal is celebrated in the month of Tamil month ‘Thai’ (January–February) and lasts for four days.
Pongal is celebrated as a thanksgiving to the Sun god. On the day of Pongal, the dish known as ‘Pongal’ is cooked in a new earthen pot under the sun, preferably early in the morning just after sunrise. The best of rice from the new harvest is earmarked for this preparation. The ingredients used for Pongal are rice, milk, ghee, jaggery, raisins and dry fruits. When the milk boils and overflows, people shout ‘Pongalo Pongal’, with this slogan believed to bring prosperity into the household. The term Pongal is rich in its connotation referring to the theme and name of the festival, the dish prepared and also the term suggesting prosperity.
Since India is mainly a land of agrarian society, the festival of Pongal is observed in different regions, under different names with different rituals in different parts of India.
There are many harvest festivals celebrated here. This festival is celebrated all over India on the same day, but has different names in each region. However, being a harvest festival, bonfires and feasts are the main thing common to all the celebrations of Pongal festival. Discussed here are the various names of Pongal prevalent in India and their unique way of celebration.
Other Names of Pongal
Pongal
In the south, people have the festival of Pongal, which is celebrated over four days. The newly harvested rice is cooked and this preparation goes by the name Pongal.
Makar Sankranti
In the North Indian states of India, people celebrate this day as Makar Sankranti. The most exciting thing about this festival is the kite flying. People believe that the direction of the wind changes on that day, and so they all come out into the streets to fly colorful kites and capture as many as possible.
Kanumu
On Kaanum Pongal, elaborate powdered chalk designs of the sun god, Surya are drawn. As soon as the auspicious month of Thai is underway, Surya is worshiped.
Lohri
Regional NamesIn Punjab, people celebrate Lohri in January on what they believe is the coldest day of the year. With the cold winds blowing they celebrate by dancing the bhangra around a fire, which is fed with sugarcane, rice and sesame seeds. People sing folk songs that tell of a good harvest, which is a blessing from the gods.
Bihu / Bohaggiyo Bhishu
This is the greatest festival of the Assamese people, who observe three Bihus. The three Bihus, constitute a festival complex and are celebrated at various stages of the cultivation of paddy, the principal crop of Assam.
Bhogi
The first day is Bhogi and is in honor of Indra the god of rain. There are many legends told about this day. The day begins with a til (sesame) oil bath and in the evening there is a bonfire in which all the rubbish in the house is burnt.
Thai Pongal
This is a harvest festival - the Tamil equivalent of Thanksgiving. It is held to honor the Sun, for a bountiful harvest. Families gather to rejoice and share their joy and their harvests with others.
Poki festival
The first day is the Poki festival during which old things are removed and discarded. Since rain plays a very important part in our lives, naturally rain is revered and the first day's celebration is appropriately called Poki festival.
Hadaga Festival
The Hadaga festival in Maharashtra is to pray for a good monsoon and a good harvest. As Indra is the god of rain, people sing songs to Indra and pray for rain. Pictures of the elephant which is Indra's vehicle are drawn everywhere to invite the God.
To celebrate our authentic festival on this immigrated land, Our Poombukar Happy Pongal Kit invites you to have an authentic homeland culinary experience and appreciate all that nature has to offer us.
This Poombukar Happy Pongal Kit will allow you to make traditional Sakkarai Pongal (Sweet Spice Rice Dish) in an authentic handcrafted clay pot , by following these easy steps:
- Order the Poombukar Happy Pongal Kit (you will receive all the key ingredients to make the dish).
- Follow the instructions in your Pongal Kit and enjoy your Sakkarai Pongal.
Poombukar Happy Pongal Kit comes as a Festive Combo
Poombukar Happy Pongal Kit includes
| 1 | White Raw Rice | 2 lbs |
| 2 | Jaggery | 750 kg |
| 3 | Moong Dal | 1 lb |
| 4 | Cashew | 50g |
| 5 | Dry Grapes | 100g |
| 6 | Cadamom | 25g |
| 7 | Oothu pathi | 1 box |
| 8 | Karpooram | 1 box |
| 9 | Turmeric Powder | 200 g |
| 10 | Coconut | 1 |
| 11 | Karumbu (Sugar Cane) | 2 pieces(approx 15 cm each) |
| 12 | Karkandu |
1 |
| 13 | Mango Leaves | 5 |
| 14 | Kumkumam | 1 |
| 15 | Santhanam | 1 |
| 16 | Banana Leaf | 1 |
| 17 | Toopam | 1 |
| 18 | Banana | 5 |
| 19 | Ghee |
100 gram |
This Economy Pongal Kit will be an Easy Tool for you to Prepare Sweet Pongal. Enjoy a Happy Feast this Pongal with your Family with Poombukar Happy Pongal Kit 2024 Economy Pack!!!!