Culture

Happy Pongal Festival 2018 Wishes | Bhogi, Maattu Pongal, Jallikattu, Kaanum Pongal and More

Published

11 months ago

January 14, 2018

Guru

Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India. It is a four-day harvest festival which according to the Tamil calendar is usually celebrated from 14 January to 17 January. Pongal, one of the most important popular Hindu festivals celebrated by Tamil people in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the Indian Union Territory of Puducherry, and the country of Sri Lanka, as well as Tamil people in Malaysia, Mauritius, United States, South Africa, Singapore, Canada and UK. This four-day harvest festival is mainly celebrated for thanksgiving to nature, farmers and more. It is held in the Tamil month of Thai (January-February) during the season when rice, cereals, sugar-cane, turmeric and an essential ingredient in Tamil cooking are harvested. Check out below for Happy Pongal Festival 2018 Wishes | Bhogi, Maattu Pongal, Jallikattu, Kaanum Pongal and More.

Happy Pongal Festival 2018

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The Pongal Festival marks the start of the sun’s six-month-long journey northwards (the Uttaraayanam). This four-day harvest is mainly celebrated to convey appreciation to the Sun God for a successful harvest.

First Day of Pongal – Bhogi festival

The first day of the festival is celebrated as Bhogi festival in honour of Lord Indra, the supreme ruler of clouds that give rains. Many cultural events in Tamil Nadu are held during Pongal like Cultural in Schools and Colleges, Book Fairs and Lit for Life. College Girls dance around the bonfire, singing songs in praise of the gods, the spring and the harvest.

First Day of Pongal – Bhogi festival

The significance of the bonfire, in which is burnt the agricultural wastes and firewood is to keep warm during the last lap of winter. Part of the celebration is the boiling of the first rice of the season consecrated to the Sun – the Surya Maangalyam. Know more about Bhogi Festival…

Second Day of Pongal

The second day of Pongal will be celebrated with the puja and performing the act of ceremonial worship like when rice is boiled in milk outdoors in an earthenware pot and is then symbolically offered to the sun-god along with other oblations. The offerings include turmeric plant which will be tied around the pot, two sticks of sugar-cane in the background of the pot, coconut and bananas are also in the dish.

Second Day of Pongal

In addition, the puja will be celebrated commonly with the kolam and the auspicious design which is traditionally traced in white lime powder before the house in the early morning.

Third Day of Pongal – Maattu Pongal

Maattu Pongal is the third day of the four-day Pongal festival. This day is mainly celebrated for cows. According to the Gregorian calendar, it is normally celebrated on January 15 but sometimes it is celebrated on January 16.

Third Day of Pongal – Maattu Pongal

Cows are worshipped mainly by the farmers with multi-coloured beads, sheaves of corn, tinkling bells, and flower garlands which tied around the neck of the cattle.

Read also Ugadi Festival | Gudi Padwa | Holi Festival

Jallikattu

Jallikattu is also known as Eru Thazhuvuthal and Manju Virattu. It is a traditional spectacle which typically practised in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu as a part of Pongal celebrations on the third day of the harvest festival Mattu Pongal.

Jallikattu

Fourth Day of Pongal – Kaanum Pongal

The fourth day of the Pongal celebrations is called Kaanum Pongal. This day is also known as Karinaal or Thiruvalluvar Day. In few places, families hold reunions like people travel to see other family members and the younger members of the family to pay special tribute to their married sisters by giving gifts and money as an affirmation of their filial love.