e-book – (for free circulation)

PONGAL

The Harvest Festival

By

Tamarapu Sampath Kumaran

About the Author:

Mr T Sampath Kumaran is a freelance writer. He regularly contributes articles on Management, Business, Ancient Temples, and Temple Architecture to many leading Dailies and Magazines.

His articles are popular in “The Young World section” of THE HINDU His e-books on nature, environment and different cultures of people around the world are educative and of special interest to the young.

He was associated in the renovation and production of two Documentary films on Nava Tirupathi Temples, and Tirukkurungudi Temple in Tamilnadu.

Acknowledgement:

I wish to express my gratitude to the authors from whose works I gathered the details for this book, and Courtesy, Google for some of the photographs.

- Tamarapu Sampath Kumaran

Pongal – Harvest festival

Since a large percentage of the Indian population still depends solely on agriculture to survive, the biggest of Hindu festivals next only to Deepavali is the harvest festival. It is known as Pongal in the South and Makara Sankranti in the North. It signifies the end of the farming season and celebrates the bounty crop – thus rightfully called as the harvest festival.

Consequently, most of the Hindu festivals are somehow linked to the seasons and agriculture. Actually, major holidays around the world are related to the harvest, even though they might have other beliefs and stories built on top of the earth based foundation.

In many parts of India, rice is planted in October, and harvested in March or April. Midwinter marks the first tentative sprouts emerging from the soil. This is a special time of thanksgiving to God, the Sun, the earth and the cattle. God for providing the crops, the Sun and the earth for growing them, and the cattle for producing milk and pulling the plough.

Sun worship forms a part of the rituals of Pongal. In fact, the Sun itself stands for all the ideals of the Pongal festival. On this day, the Sun moves into its most favorable position from Cancer to Capricorn. Hence the name Makar Sankranti which translates to Capricorn. Sankranti also means to go from one place to another place (to change direction). It also means one meets another. The time when the Sun changes direction, from one constellation (of the zodiac) to another is known as Sankranti.

To Hindus, the Sun stands for knowledge, spiritual light and wisdom. Makara Shankranti signifies that we should turn away from the darkness of delusion in which we live, and begin to joyously let the light within us shine brighter and brighter. We should gradually begin to grow in purity, wisdom, and knowledge, even as the Sun does from this day.

This is the day when the Sun begins its northward journey. It usually falls in the middle of January, the Tamil month of “Thai”. For the people of the Northern hemisphere, the northward path of the Sun marks the period when the Sun is getting closer and closer to them, when the days are getting longer, and it is becoming warmer and warmer.

The Indian system of beliefs venerates the Sun as an inexhaustible source of energy. Its message is that of light, unity, equality and true selflessness. These are the ideals of Karma Yoga. Hence, the Sun is the greatest Karma Yogi. Sun worship in India dates back to ancient times. Perhaps the best known of the Sun temples in India are the remains of the Konark temple on the east coast of India in the state of Orissa and the remains of the Modhera Sun temple in the western state of Gujarat.

Modhera Sun Temple Konarak Temple

Sun worship was also spread widely among ancient Eastern and Mediterranean people. Sun for the ancient Egyptians was God “Re”. For the ancient Babylonians the Sun was a living being which moved against the solid vault of the sky. For ancient Hindus the Sun God was one of the principal triad of deities called Surya. For the Greeks the Sun God Helios associated with Phoebus Apollo.

Helios and Apollo

Religious devotion paid to the Sun is either as a deity or as the symbol of a deity. Sun worship was practiced by the Tsimshian tribes of North America and reached a high state of development among the Native Americans of Mexico and Peru. The Babylonians were Sun worshipers, and in ancient Persia worship of the Sun was an integral part of the elaborate cult of Mithras. Sun worship persisted in Europe even after the introduction of Christianity, as is evidenced by its disguised survival in such traditional Christian practices as the Easter bonfire and the “Yule log" on Christmas. The influence of the Sun in religious belief also appears in Zoroastrianism, Mithraism, Roman religion, Buddhism, and among the Druids of England, the Aztecs of Mexico, the Incas of Peru, and many Native Americans.

Hinduism like several other religions is rich in tradition. It teaches us the way to live and serves as a logical reference to all our day to day activities. Most of the customs that are embedded in human life and its routine have a reason and a historical link to prove the authenticity of these proposed theories and practices.

Even before the human living systems came into being there have been certain codes of practices compiled by our ancestors to promote a domestic discipline. The everyday rituals that we practice now have evolved over a period of time and these practices have adopted themselves the growth of civilization, racial evolution and the influence and impact of human thoughts. The mode of observing these practices varies upon the geographical locations. The activity that is practiced by us in India is based on the guidelines cited in Vedas, Shastras and prescribed by one’s own ancestry.

Based on the principles of Hinduism the Sun is considered as the most important Devathas. The two most important events in human life such as birth and death are calculated with Sun’s position as the chief referral source. The Sun’s southward movement is termed as “Dakshinayanam” and its northward movement as “Uttarayanam”. In fact the Uttarayanam is considered as the most auspicious period by the Hindus. In Mahabaratha it is said that Bhisma (Pithamaha) after being fatally struck and injured by Arjuna’s arrows, rested on a bed of arrows and waited to depart the worldly life, till the onset of Utharayanam.

The history of Pongal festival can be traced back to the Sangam Age i.e. 200 B.C. To 300 A.D. Although, Pongal originated as a Dravidian Harvest festival and has a mention in Sanskrit Puranas, historians identify the festival with the “Thai Un” and “Thai Neeradal” which are believed to have been celebrated during the Sangam Age. It is also referred to that as part of the festivities, maidens of the Sangam era observed 'Pavai Nonbu' at the time of Thai Niradal, which was a major festival during the reign of the Pallavas (4th to 8th Century AD), during the Tamil month of Margazhi (December-January). During this festival young girls prayed for rain and prosperity of the country. Throughout the month, they avoided milk and milk products. They would not oil their hair and bath early in the morning, worship the idol of Goddess Katyayani, which would be carved out of wet sand. They ended their penance on the first day of the month of Thai (January-February), with the beginning the second day’s celebrations of Pongal festival. This penance was to bring abundant rains and bumper harvest. These traditions and customs of ancient times gave

rise to Pongal celebrations. Andal's (one of the Azhwars of the Vaishnavite sect) “Tiruppavai” and Manickavachakar's (one of the Nayanmars of the Saivite sect) “Tiruvembavai” vividly describe the festival of “Thai Neeradal” and the ritual of observing “Pavai Nombu”. Ponagl celebrations were supported by the rulers of these times. According to an inscription found in the Veeraraghava temple at Tiruvallur, the Chola King Kuluttunga Cholan used to gift lands to the temple especially for the Pongal celebrations

In olden days people treated every piece of earthly object as God’s creation and attributed the credit and merit of everything they acquired to His feet. Such a procedure is called “Ishti”. During the month of Thai when farmers brought fresh loads of grains to their houses, they offered a thanksgiving ceremony to Surya the particular deity who helped them for getting the produce.

On sankranthi day accompanied by his charioteer Arunan, Surya boards his chariot that is pulled by seven horses and begins his journey from South. The chariot has a single wheel called Kala Chakra (the wheel of life). Sankranthi underlines the momentous movement when his chariot takes a sharp turn northwards.

Pongal is also referred to as “Uzhavar Tirunal” and “Thai Tirunal” .as it marks the beginning of a very important time when the farmers begin a fresh harvesting season of the year. Pongal celebration is spread over three days. On the first day “Bhogi” people clean their houses and dispose off the old stuff.

On the next day that is “Pongal”, the celebrations wear a religious air. The Sun God – Surya – is the principle deity of the day. On an elaborate kolam symbolizing Surya’s chariot that has one wheel (the kala chakra) and two motifs (made out of cow dung) representing Surya and Chandra are positioned. A long sugar cane stalk is also one among the chief elements of the day’s offering. It symbolizes Sun God’s consistent and indispensable duty of absorbing the land’s water and showering it back on earth generously in the form of rain.

Elaborate rice “kolam” is put and before they light the first fire for the day to make the meal making routine, they offer worship to Agni – the fire God, the Chief among the five natural deities. The chief highlight of the gourmet meal course is Sakkarai Pongal (sweet pongal).

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Sakkarai pongal is cooked with a generous measure of freshly harvested rice in a brand new earthen pot. The pot is smeared with rice powder and a fresh branch of turmeric that is cut from the newly harvested lot is tied around its neck. A mixture of milk and water is brought to boil in the pot. As the milk boils and bubbles up men, women and children rejoice in a chorus “Pongalo pongal”, as the milk boiling is considered as a mark of prosperity.

Going by the accomplished norms on an auspicious day, people in the olden days consumed rice that is cooked in its own juices. Following the same procedure Sakkarai Pongal offered on pongal day for the Sun God is completely cooked with rice, jaggery and moong dhal cooked in a fixed ratio of milk and water. This is offered to Sun God together with “Yezhu Kari Kuzhambu” – a dish made of white pumpkin and six other vegetables prepared as gruel. There is an interesting story behind this offering to the Sun God. It is believed that during Daksha Yagnam, Sun in the earlier incarnation as Bhoosha while listening to the mocking account of Daksha regarding Lord Siva giggled at the narration. His immature behaviour angered Lord Siva who cursed him to be born without a single tooth. In order to make the offering suitable to the toothless Sun God worshippers offer tender coconut, soft cooked Sakkarai pongal and white pumpkin for his meal on pongal day. The act also goes to prove the fact that even though Sun was one among the powerful Devathas he was punished for his mistake.

The third day “kanum pngal” or “mattu pongal” is completely dedicated to the worship of cattle that is considered a form of Kamadhenu - the angle of wealth and abundance. In olden day’s rigorous farming procedure were mainly performed with the help of cattle.

The celebration of Pongal is a way to highlight the inextricable link between the human beings and nature.

Over the years, women have resorted to new ways to entice crows. Long- long ago only cooked rice was offered. Later on, cooked dhal and a dash of ghee were added to the rice to pep up the flavour. A separate area, be it the garden/ terrace/ compound wall, is earmarked for the food to be placed for the crow

Come January and it is festival time for crows. A lavish spread is laid out for the birds during Kanum Pongal festival. Women of the family place different kinds of coloured rice, cooked vegetables, banana and sweet pongal on a plantain leaf and invite the crows, which descend in hordes to share and enjoy the "Kaka pidi, Kanu pidi" feast.

Women offer prayers in the hope that this ritual will bring the brother-sister ties in their families will remain forever strong like the family of crows.

According to a legend, once Shiva asked his bull, Basava, to go to the earth and ask the mortals to have an oil massage and bath every day and to eat once a month. Inadvertently, Basava announced that everyone should eat daily and have an oil bath once a month. This mistake enraged Shiva who then cursed Basava, banishing him to live on the earth forever. He would have to plough the fields and help people produce more food.

Thus this belief justifies the association of this day with cattle.

Joyous festivities of Pongal mark the celebration in every home. Servants, farmers and

the poor are fed and clothed, and given presents of money. The cow, which is regarded as

the symbol of the Holy Mother, is worshipped. Birds and animals are also fed. In this

manner the devotee’s heart gradually expands during the course of the celebrations. Love

extends from the household to servants, the poor, the cow and all other living creatures.

During this holy festival we learn to feel our oneness with all creation; we learn to be

unselfish and to tread the path of love, purity and forgiveness. We learn that our real

wealth is the goodwill and friendship of those around us, the land on which our food

grows, and the animals that help to make our work lighter.