THAI PONGAL HERALDS IN DELIGHTFUL PROSPECTS, SIGNIFIES TRIUMPHS

Hindu Tamils celebrate Thai Pongal today which they mark as the harbinger of good luck and prosperity. This is an article that provides an in-depth look at this important event which encompasses features of multi-ethnicity, peace and co-existence in socie

Thai Pongal is a “Thanks giving ceremony” celebrated by farmers in particular to thank the nature spirit- the sun- and farm animals for bringing prosperity in agriculture with plentiful harvests. They venerate and thank the Sun God – the nature spirit and offer the first part of the produce in the form of cooked rice. They do not forget to make this an occasion to thank the farm animals who contribute to the prosperity of agriculture in a big way. The recipients of these thanks are farm animals including the cow, ox and the buffalo. Thus farmers thank the Sun God and the farm animals for energizing them and helping them to produce rice plentifully.

Meanwhile the rice eaters belonging to the rest of the population are obliged to venerate and thank the Sun God and thank the farm animals and farmers for producing rice. Every rice eating man and woman is bound by this obligation because they cannot keep on living if not for the rice produced by the farmers with the blessings of the nature spirit and the help of the farm animals. In fact almost all the rice eaters do not hesitate to recognize the kindness done and the service rendered by the nature spirit and the farm animals.

Pongal- a dish of sweet blend

Pongal also means a dish of sweet concoction of rice, dhal or split pulse, juggery and milk. The feast of the month of Thai is therefore an occasion celebrated not only by almost all the Tamils world over but also by almost all the rice eaters on the first day of the Tamil calendar year. This is probably the merriest and the most popular Hindu festival celebrated to announce the approach of a plentiful harvest.

Epoch of Thai Pongal

Thai is the first month in the Tamil calendar. Since Thai Pongal is an occasion to celebrate the plentiful harvests and since it is the sun that gives life to rice the festive season falls due during the period when the sun enters the zodiac sign of Capricorn (Makara). Rice harvest coincides with this and Thai Pongal is celebrated after the solstice and on the first day of the first month of the Tamil calendar i.e. the month of Thai.

We in Sri Lanka and a large number of people in many other parts of the world suffered a lot due to rain and floods and we were compelled to depend on the nature spirit to say “rain, rain go away, come again another day”. In the eve of Thai Pongal the havoc played by rain has come to an end and now is the most opportune time to celebrate Thai Pongal.

Meaning of Thai Pongal

As mentioned earlier Thai is the first month in the Tamil calendar. Pongal means the act of boiling to overflow. In other words “Thai Pongal” means the preparation and enjoyment of the first rice meal of the year with hopes and aspirations. On the one hand this is a celebration connected with the achievements of the previous year with bountiful harvests. On the other hand this is a celebration connected with the achievements of the previous year with bountiful harvests and also of a new year which is expected to pave way for prosperity.

Inclusive celebration

Thai Pongal has no relevance to any religious faith and hence it is celebrated by all the Tamils and their well wishers regardless of the religious group to which they belong. Hindus, Buddhists and Christians celebrate this festival in the manner they celebrate the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. One need not belong to a particular religious group or a resident of a particular locality to celebrate this festival. Anyone can celebrate this event. Tamils we meet also point out that they wish to see the other communities sharing the glory and pleasure of the festive mood and they further say that now after several years they are blessed with the opportunity to share the event with everyone more openly and gladly. They feel more motivated and drawn closer to the whole nation.

The tradition

What causes the beginning and tradition of this event is the reaping of a bountiful harvest and celebrating the success is significant among Tamil Hindus who depend mainly on agriculture and farming. The abundant yield is the result of the good weather and Sun’s energy. The first grains gathered are cooked in milk and honey and offered to the Sun who is considered the God of light and energy as homage and in thanks giving. Even though the mid- April is the beginning of a New Year January or Thai is accepted as the onset of the year’s plentitude in rice harvest.

Delightful prospects

The rituals of this family festival are commenced with the boiling of a pot of rice at sunrise at the front doorstep of the house. All the members of the fami- ly gather round the pot of rice. All of them enjoy the occasion wishing one another with the delightful cry “Pongal O’Pongal” we are getting exactly what we expect. It is boiling, it is boiling. “More than the translation, the feeling behind these words is that the universe, god and mother earth offer us a rich and abundant harvest, so that it overflows our requirements and our lives will be full of abundance in many ways for the years to come!

Festival’s purpose

In actual fact Thai Pongal is a “Thanks Giving Ceremony”. It is the Sun which brings prosperity in agriculture. Hence the Sun deserves thanks and respect from farmers. Animals including the cow, ox and buffalo help them immensely in the far m. Therefore farmers thank the Sun, the nature spirit and the forerunner of a plentiful harvest. They also thank the farm animals for their assistance in providing a successful harvest. While the farmers thank the sun and the farm animals for their assistance in providing a successful harvest, the rest of the population take this opportunity to thank the farmers for the production of food. Pongal is not only the name of the four day Thanksgiving festival but is the name of the main dish made from harvested rice, lentils and spices.

Bhogi Pongal

The first day of the festival, which falls on the last day of the Tamil month, Margazhi, is called Bhogi. Bhogi is “dedicated to the god Indra (Bhogi). He is the god of clouds and rain, which make the crops grow. The first day “Bhogi Pongal” is a day for the family. On this day all the people clean their homes from top to bottom and collect all unwanted goods. In the evening people light bonfires and burn whatever that can be burnt. Homes are washed, decorated, doorways painted with vermillion and sandal wood paste with colourful garlands of leaves and flowers decorating the home exteriors.

Suriya Pongal

The second day is the Suriya Pongal day on which offerings are made to the Sun God and the Rain God for making the lives of family members prosperous. In fact this is the festival proper where certain customs are followed expressing joy and happiness in antici- pation of a new life for every one blessed with plentiful harvests and healthy lives. The ritual festivities begin early in the morning. Every member in the family gets up early in time for participating in the festival. They bathe well and dress well and gather at the front step of the house or in the front garden (mutt ram). The cooking ceremony begins by placing a pot with water on the hearth.

Meal preparation

A senior member of the family, mother, grandmother or the father conducts the cooking. The other members of the family assist him or her. Those who cannot assist watch the event with interest. When the water is boiled sufficiently they put rice into the pot. It is usual for a senior member to put three handfuls of rice into the pot. This is a ceremonial event. Those who can afford prepare special dishes. In addition to cow’s milk or coconut milk rice dhal, juggery or chakkaral or Kalkandu they add roasted green gram (payuru) raisins, cashew nuts and some pods of cardamom.

When the meal is ready family members lay plantain leaves on the floor and they put the pudding on the banana leaves. Before taking the meal they pray for some time and thank the Sun- the nature spirit.

Kolams {Rangoli)

Kolams are designs drawn in front yards of houses with rice flour paste. Presumably the idea is to provide eats for ants and insects so that thy too would bless the family members. At the centre is a lump of cow dung, holding a five-petal pumpkin flower -symbol of fertility. These designs are decorated to purify the place. After purifying the place God is invited to accept the puja and bless the inmates.

Mattu Pongal

The third day is the Pongal for farm animals. Farmers are well are of the fact that the prosperity in the field of agriculture depends largely on the assistance provided by farm animals including the cow which gives milk, the ox and buffalo which help the farmer to till the land. These animals also provide fertilizer for the farm land. Hence the farm animal is an assistant, friend and a close associate of the farmer. Hence Mattu Pongal is celebrated in high gusto. This is exclusively a festival of thanks giving to dumb and mute friends adored by farmers for their sound contributions in helping the latter in their agricultural pursuits. On the Mattu Pongal day domestic cattle are bathed, anointed and fed to their heart’s content. They are adorned with garlands of freshly picked flowers around their necks.

Unity and co-operation

Thai Pongal is also an occasion for farmers to participate in communal work. In addition to the assistance provided by the Sun- the natural spirit and farm animals farmers get together in communal work for their common benefit. In the past they had participated in public welfare wok in constructing agricultural wells, reservoirs, bunds etc. According to a legend Lord Shiva himself had participated in certain public utility work. According to the legend it was a drought season. On the orders of the ruler everyone had to work in the construction of a bund. A certain woman who could not do the work assigned to her offered to provide Pittu to anyone who would do her part of the work. No one was prepared to work for her in exchange of Pittu. Ultimately someone came and agreed to work for the woman. However, the work was not done properly and the ruler issued orders to punish him a by whipping. When everyone on Earth suffered the whipping it was discovered that Lord Shiva himself had come to work on Earth. Everyone on Earth suffered the whipping and Lord Shiva was among them. Presumably, Lord Shiva’s objective had been to emphasize the need to participate in public utility work.

Thanksgiving to farmers

While the farmers thank the Sun and the farm animals the rest of the population take this opportunity to thank the farmers for producing rice and food for the universe. Although the people in urban areas are not directly involved with agriculture they too celebrate Thai Pongal with the same gusto and spirit as they too are rice eaters and are obliged to thank the farmer and to share the happiness with the rural folk. Meanwhile the people from the entire village get together for a community feast to share their crops and thank those who lent a hand to bring in a successful harvest.

Although Pongal is cooked in every house it is usual custom to share the Pongal with relatives, friends, neighbours and well wishers. This is done presumably as a token of friendship, closeness and unity. Whatever it is sharing each other’s Pongal is an important feature of the event. Some Hindu scholars believe that the rice is cooked on the Thai Pongal day because of the importance as a potent symbol of auspiciousness and fertility.

Family reunion

Thai Pongal is also an occasion for family reunion and a chance to get together. Old animosities and rivalries are to be forgotten. Hostilities are healed and reconciliation is effected. It is a festival of freedom, peace, unity, and compassion crystallized in the last hymn on unity in the Indian spiritual text- Rig Veda. Let us resolve on this occasion of Thai Pongal to defeat all forces endangering disunity and disharmony and march towards unity and prosperity.