Jai Sriman Narayana !!
Wishing all my blog readers A Happy & Prosperous Pongal !!
The beginning of Utharayana Punyakalam is celebrated as Pongal - Festival of Harvest in South India. A Thanks Giving Day to Nature and animals. The celebration begins from 14th of January - first day of Thai (Tamil month) - Bhogi Festival - The day to worship Lord Indra as a mark of gratefulness for the abundance of rains thereby the prosperity in the field of agriculture.
The second day of Pongal - 15th of January, is treated as Surya Pongal - worship of Lord Surya takes place. Lord Surya is the main cause of Life on Earth.
Specialties of this day are includes preparation of Venpongal and Sarkkara Pongal made of Jaggery and rice etc. These are offered to Lord as Bhog.
The Third day of Pongal - 16th of January, is celebrated as 'Maattu Pongal' - Worship of cattle. The cattle are bathed and decorated with flower garlands, sandal paste, Kumkum and decoratives. The well decorated cattle are taken throughout the village and people pay obeisance and Aarthi to them as a mark of gratefulness towards the animals who worked hardly for the year long in the agricultural fields for the well being of human beings.
The Fourth day of Pongal on 17th of January is celebrated as Kanum Pongal or Kanu Pongal. Women folks prepare rice balls (with previous day’s rice) and decorate with Turmeric, Kumkum and place them on a banana leaf as an offering to the crow.
Colorful Rangolis with rice flour are an inevitable part of the celebration. Have a colourful and joyous Pongal once again!!
Jai Sriman Narayana !!
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