Pongal (festival)

Last updated

Pongal
Pongal fest.jpg
Pongal dish cooked for the occasion of the festival
Observed byPrimarily Tamil Hindus in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, United States, Indonesia, Mauritius, Singapore, UK, South Africa, Canada, Australia, Gulf countries
Type Hindu [1] [2]
SignificanceHarvest festival
CelebrationsPreparation of Pongal, decorations, home coming, prayers, processions, gift giving [3]
DateLast day of the ninth Tamil calendar month of Margazhi (Bhogi)
First day of the tenth month of Thai (Thai Pongal) and next two days
2025 date13-16 January [4]
FrequencyAnnual
Related to Makar Sankranti, Magh Bihu, Uttarayana, Maghi, Maghe Sankranti, Shakrain

Pongal (IPA: /ˈθaɪˈpoʊŋʌl/ ) is a multi-day Hindu harvest festival celebrated by Tamils. The festival is celebrated over three or four days with Bhogi, Thai Pongal, Mattu Pongal and Kanum Pongal, beginning on the last day of the Tamil calendar month of Margazhi, and observed on consecutive days. Thai Pongal is observed on the first day of the Tamil calendar month of Thai and usually falls on 14 or 15 January in the Gregorian calendar. It is dedicated to the solar deity Surya and corresponds to Makar Sankranti, the Hindu observance celebrated under various regional names across the Indian subcontinent.

Contents

According to tradition, the festival marks the end of winter solstice, and the start of the Sun's six-month-long journey northwards called Uttarayana when the Sun enters Capricorn. The festival is named after the ceremonial "Pongal", which means "boiling over" or "overflow" in Tamil language and refers to the traditional dish prepared by boiling rice with milk and jaggery. Mattu Pongal is meant for celebration of cattle, and the cattle are bathed, their horns polished and painted in bright colors with garlands of flowers placed around their necks and processions on the day. The festival is traditionally an occasion for decorating with rice-powder based kolam artworks, offering prayers at home, visiting temples, getting together with family and friends, and exchanging gifts to renew social bonds of solidarity.

Pongal is also referred to as Tamizhar thirunal ("the festival of Tamil people") and is one of the major festivals celebrated by the Tamil people across various religions. It is observed by the Tamil diaspora in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, parts of South India, Sri Lanka and other parts of the world with significant Tamil population.

Etymology

Thai Pongal is a combination of two Tamil language words: Thai (Tamil: 'தை') referring to the tenth month of the Tamil calendar and Pongal (from pongu) meaning "boiling over" or "overflow." Pongal also refers to a sweet dish of rice boiled with milk and jaggery that is ritually prepared and consumed on the day. [5] It is also referred to as Tamizhar thirunal ("the festival of Tamil people"). [6]

History

The principal theme of Pongal is thanking the Sun god Surya, the forces of nature, and the farm animals and people who support agriculture. The festival is mentioned in an inscription found at the Veeraraghava Swamy Temple. Attributed to the Chola king Kulottunga I (1070–1122 CE), the inscription describes a grant of land to the temple for celebrating the annual Pongal festivities. [7] The ninth century Shaiva Bhakti text Tiruvempavai by Manikkavacakar details the festival. [7] It appears in Tamil texts and inscriptions with variant spellings such as ponakam, tiruponakam, and ponkal. Temple inscriptions from the Chola and Vijayanagara periods detail recipes similar to pongal recipes of the modern era with variations in seasonings and relative amounts of the ingredients. The terms ponakam, ponkal and its prefixed variants might also indicate the festive pongal dish as a prasadam (religious offering) which were given as a part of the meals served by free community kitchens in South Indian Hindu temples either as festival food or to pilgrims every day. [8]

Observance

Pongal offering to Gods Pongal offerings.jpg
Pongal offering to Gods

Pongal is a multi-day Hindu harvest festival celebrated by Tamils. [1] [5] [9] The three days of the Pongal festival are called Bhogi, Thai Pongal, and Mattu Pongal. [10] Some Tamils celebrate a fourth day of Pongal known as Kanum Pongal. [9] While the festival is observed for three or four days in Tamil Nadu, but for one or two days in urban locations and by the Tamil diaspora outside South Asia. [1] [9]

Bhogi

Bhogi marks the first day of the Pongal festivities and is celebrated on the last day of the Tamil calendar month Marghazhi. [7] On this day people discard old belongings and celebrate new possessions. The people assemble and light a bonfire in order to burn the heaps of discards. [11] Houses are cleaned, painted and decorated to give a festive look. [10] Prayers are offered to Indra, the king of Gods with thanks and hopes for plentiful rains in the year ahead. [10] Kaappu kattu is a tradition of tying leaves of Azadirachta indica, Senna auriculata and Aerva lanata in the roofs of houses and residential areas that is widely practiced in the Kongu Nadu region. [12] [13] Bhogi is observed on the same day in the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. [14] Fruits of the harvest are collected along with flowers of the season and a mixture of treats along with money is given to children, who then separate and collect the money and sweet fruits. [15]

Thai Pongal

Pongal in earthern pot Pongum pongal.jpg
Pongal in earthern pot

Thai Pongal is the main festive day, celebrated on the next day of Bhogi. [10] [11] It is observed on the first day of the Tamil calendar month of Thai, and usually falls on 14 or 15 January as per the Gregorian calendar. [3] It is dedicated to the Sun deity Surya and corresponds to Makar Sankranti, the harvest festival under various regional names celebrated throughout India. [16] [17] [18] According to tradition, the festival marks the end of winter solstice, and the start of the sun's six-month-long journey northwards when the sun enters the Capricorn, also called as Uttarayana. [1]

Dedicated to Surya, it is celebrated with family and friends with new clothes worn and the preparation of the traditional pongal dish in an earthen pot. [9] The pot is typically decorated by tying a turmeric plant or flower garland and placed in the sun along with sugarcane stalks. [9] The homes are decorated with banana and mango leaves, decorative florals and kolams. [9] Relatives and friends are invited and when the pongal starts to boil and overflow out of the vessel, participants blow a conch or make sounds while shouting "Pongalo Pongal" ("may this rice boil over"). [19] In rural areas, people sing traditional songs while the pongal dish is cooking. [5] The Pongal dish is first offered to Surya and Ganesha, and then shared with the gathered friends and family. [20] People traditionally offer prayers to the sun in the open and then proceed to eat their meal. [21] A community Pongal is an event where families gather at a public place for a ceremonial worship. [22] [23]

Mattu Pongal

A traditional kolam depicting a cow on Mattu Pongal "Maatu pongal kolam".JPG
A traditional kolam depicting a cow on Mattu Pongal

Mattu Pongal ("Madu" meaning cow in Tamil) is the third day of the festival meant for the celebration of cattle. [5] The cattle is regarded as sources of wealth as it is a means for dairy products and fertilizers, used for transportation and agriculture. [9] [21] The cattle are bathed, their horns are polished and painted in bright colors with garlands of flowers placed around their necks and taken for processions. [24] Some decorate their cows with turmeric water and apply shikakai and kumkuma to their foreheads. The cattle are fed sweets including pongal, jaggery, honey, banana and other fruits. People may prostrate before them with words of thanks for the help with the harvest. [21]

Kanum Pongal

Kanum Pongal or Kanu Pongal is the fourth day of the festival and marks the end of Pongal festivities for the year. [25] The word kanum in the context means "to visit" and families hold reunions on this day. Communities organize social events to strengthen mutual bonds and consume food and sugarcane during social gatherings. [10] [26] Young people visit elders to pay respects and seek blessings, with elders giving gifts to the visiting children. [10] [27]

Traditions and practices

A traditional kolam decoration COW PONGAL FESTIVAL KOLAM.jpg
A traditional kolam decoration

Pongal is traditionally an occasion for decorating, offering prayers in the home, temples, getting together with family and friends, and exchanging gifts to renew social bonds of solidarity. [3] [28] It is viewed more as a "social festival" since the contemporary celebrations do not necessarily link it to temple rituals. [9] Temples and cultural centers organize the ritual cooking of Pongal dish, along with fairs (Pongal mela) with handicrafts, crafts, pottery, sarees, ethnic jewelry for sale. These sites hold traditional community sports such as Uri Adithal ("breaking a hanging mud pot while blindfolded"), Pallanguzhi and Kabbadi , as well as group dance and music performances in major cities and towns. [29] [30]

The festival is marked with colorful kolam artwork. Kolam is a form of traditional decorative art that is drawn by using rice flour often along with natural or synthetic color powders. [31] It includes geometrical line drawings composed of straight lines, curves and loops, drawn around a grid pattern of dots. [32]

Cuisine

Pongal dish made from rice boiled with cow milk and jaggery Sarkarai Pongal.JPG
Pongal dish made from rice boiled with cow milk and jaggery

The festival is named after the "Pongal" dish, which forms the festival's most significant practice. The dish is prepared by boiling freshly harvested rice in cow milk and raw cane sugar. [1] Additional ingredients such as coconut and ghee along with spices such as cardamom, raisins and cashews are also used. [8] [10] The cooking is done in a clay pot that is often garlanded with leaves or flowers, sometimes tied with a piece of turmeric root. It is either cooked at home, or in community gatherings such as in temples or village open spaces. [8] [33] The cooking is done in sunlight, usually in a porch or courtyard and the dish is dedicated to the Sun god, Surya. After it is traditionally offered to the gods and goddesses first, followed sometimes by cows, then to friends and family gathered. [34] Temples and communities organize free kitchen prepared by volunteers to all those who gather. [3] [35] Portions of the sweet pongal dish (Sakkarai Pongal) are distributed as the prasadam in temples. [10]

The dish and the process of its preparation is a part of the symbolism, both conceptually and materially. [5] [28] It celebrates the harvest and the cooking symbolizes the transformation of the gift of agriculture into nourishment for the gods and the community on a day that when the sun god is believed to start the journey north. [5] The dish "boiling over" is believed to symbolically mark the blessing by Parvati. [33] It is the ritual dish, along with many other courses prepared from seasonal foods for the gathering.

Jallikattu

Jallikattu, a traditional bull taming event held during Pongal Madurai-alanganallur-jallikattu.jpg
Jallikattu, a traditional bull taming event held during Pongal

The day marks a ritual visit to nearby temples where communities hold processions by parading icons from the sanctum of the temple in wooden chariots, drama-dance performances encouraging social gatherings and renewal of community bonds. [21] Other events during Pongal include community sports and games such as Jallikattu or bull fighting. [21] Jallikattu is a traditional event held during the period attracting huge crowds in which a bull is released into a crowd of people, and multiple human participants attempt to grab the large hump on the bull's back with both arms and hang on to it while the bull attempts to escape. [36] Kanu Pidi is a tradition observed on Mattu Pongal by women and young girls where they place a leaf of turmeric plant outside their home, and feed pongal dish and food to the birds, particularly crow and pray for their brothers' well being. [9] [21] Brothers pay special tribute to their married sisters by giving gifts as affirmation of their filial love. [10]

Contemporary practices

Pongal in a community gathering Cpongal.jpg
Pongal in a community gathering

Pongala is celebrated in Kerala, a state that shares historic cultural overlap with Tamils through Chera dynasty according to Sangam literature. The rituals including the cooking of pongal dish, social visits, and the reverence for cattle is observed by some communities and is observed on the same day as Tamil Pongal. [37] The celebrations include dance (Kathakali) and musical performances by boys and girls, as well as major processions featuring the temple goddess. [38] In the Attukal Bhagavati Temple near Thiruvanathapuram, Attukal Pongala is celebrated in the month of February–March which attract large crowds. [39] [40]

In Karnataka, the festival days are similar, except the dish is called "Ellu". Decorations and social visits are also common in many parts of Karnataka. [41] The festivities coincide with Makara Sankranthi, Maghi and Bihu celebrated across various parts of India. [42] [43] [44]

In Sri Lanka, Pongal is celebrated by the Sri Lankan Tamils and the Pongal festivities last two days, essentially focused on Thai Pongal day. The custom of cooking Pukkai, a dish similar to Pongal, and made of rice and milk, is carried out on the first day. [45] [46]

Geography

Pongal is one of the major festivals celebrated by Tamil people across various religions in Tamil Nadu. [47] [48] It is also celebrated in other parts of South India, [49] and is a major Tamil festival in Sri Lanka. [50] It is observed by the Tamil diaspora worldwide, [51] [52] including those in Malaysia, [53] Mauritius, [54] South Africa, [55] Singapore, [56] United States, [57] United Kingdom, [58] Canada, [59] and the Gulf countries. [60] In 2017, Delegate David Bulova introduced a joint resolution HJ573 in the Virginia House of Delegates to designate January 14 of each year as Pongal Day. [57]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thaipusam</span> Tamil Hindu festival

Thaipusam or Thaipoosam is a Tamil Hindu festival celebrated on the first full moon day of the Tamil month of Thai coinciding with Pusam star. The festival is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Hindu god Murugan over the demon Surapadman. During the battle, Murugan is believed to have wielded a vel, a divine spear granted by his mother, Parvati.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Makar Sankranti</span> Hindu festival that reveres Surya (sun god)

Makar(a) Sankrānti, also referred to as Uttarāyana, Makara, or simply Sankrānti, is a Hindu observance and a mid-winter harvest festival in India and Nepal. It is typically celebrated on 14 January annually, this occasion marks the transition of the sun from the zodiac of Sagittarius (dhanu) to Capricorn (makara). As this transition coincides with the sun's movement from south to north, the festival is dedicated to the solar deity, Surya, and is observed to mark a new beginning. Across India, the occasion is celebrated with numerous multi-day festivals.

The Chitty, also known as the Chetty or Chetti Melaka, are an ethnic group whose members are of primarily Tamil descent, found mainly and initially in Melaka, Malaysia, where they settled around the 16th century, and in Singapore where they migrated to in the 18th and 19th centuries from Melaka. Also known colloquially as "Indian Peranakans", the culture of the Chitty has drawn significant influence from the Nusantara region and to a small extent the Chinese, whilst also retaining their Hindu faith and heritage. In the 21st century, their population stands at 2,000. The Chitty/Chetti community are different from Chettiar, bankers brought from Tamil Nadu to British Malaya. They are practising Hindus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamil calendar</span> Sidereal Hindu calendar used by the Tamil people

The Tamil calendar is a sidereal solar calendar used by the Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It is also used in Puducherry, and by the Tamil population in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar and Mauritius.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puthandu</span> First day of the Tamil calendar

Puthandu, also known as Tamil New Year, is the first day of year on the Tamil calendar that is traditionally celebrated as a festival by Tamils. The festival date is set with the solar cycle of the solar Hindu calendar, as the first day of the month of Chittirai. It falls on or about 14 April every year on the Gregorian calendar. The same day is observed elsewhere in South and South East Asia as the traditional new year, but it is known by other names such as Vishu in Kerala, and Vaisakhi or Baisakhi in central and northern India.

The term Uttarāyaṇa is derived from two different Sanskrit words – "uttaram" (North) and "ayanam" (movement) – thus indicating the northward movement of the Sun. In the Gregorian calendar, this pertains to the "actual movement of the sun with respect to the earth." Also known as the six month period that occurs between the winter solstice and summer solstice. According to the Indian solar calendar, it refers to the movement of the Sun through the zodiac. This difference is because the solstices continually precess at a rate of 50 arcseconds per year due to the precession of the equinoxes, i.e. this difference is the difference between the sidereal and tropical zodiacs. The Surya Siddhanta bridges this difference by juxtaposing the four solstitial and equinoctial points with four of the twelve boundaries of the rashis.

Patlur is a village in Anthiyur Taluk, Erode district, Tamil Nadu State, India with a population of approximately 8100. The main occupation in Patlur is agriculture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ratha Saptami</span> Hindu festival dedicated to Surya

Ratha Saptami, also rendered Magha Saptami, is a Hindu festival that falls on the seventh day (saptami) in the bright half of the Hindu month Magha. It is symbolically represented in the form of the sun-god Surya turning his ratha (chariot) drawn by seven horses towards the northern hemisphere, in a north-easternly direction. It also marks the birth of Surya and is hence also celebrated as Surya Jayanti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Attukal Temple</span> Hindu shrine

The Attukal Bhagavathy Temple is a Hindu shrine located at Attukal in Kerala, India. It is situated near the heart of the city, two kilometres away from the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, East Fort, in Thiruvananthapuram. The goddess of the temple is identified with Bhadrakali, mounted over a vetala. She is also identified with Kannagi, the heroine of Ilango Adigal's epic Cilappatikaram.

Vadamanappakkam is a village located in the Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu, South India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surya</span> Solar deity in Hinduism

Surya is the Sun as well as the solar deity in Hinduism. He is traditionally one of the major five deities in the Smarta tradition, all of whom are considered as equivalent deities in the Panchayatana puja and a means to realise Brahman. Other names of Surya in ancient Indian literature include Āditya, Arka, Bhānu, Savitṛ, Pūṣan, Ravi, Mārtāṇḍa, Mitra, Bhāskara, Prabhākara, Kathiravan, and Vivasvat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adityas</span> Sons of the Hindu goddess Aditi

In Hinduism, Adityas refers to a group of major solar deities, who are the offspring of the goddess Aditi. The name Aditya, in the singular, is taken to refer to the sun god Surya. Generally, Adityas are twelve in number and consist of Vivasvan (Surya), Aryaman, Tvashtr, Savitr, Bhaga, Dhatr, Mitra, Varuna, Amsha, Pushan, Indra and Vishnu.

Tamil Nadu is the southernmost state of India located on south-eastern coast of the Indian peninsula. The state is straddled by Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats to the west and north and the waters of Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea on the other two sides. It is the home of the Tamil people, who speak Tamil language, one of the oldest surviving languages. The capital and largest city is Chennai which is known as the "Gateway to South India". As of 2021, the state is the most visited and has received the most number of tourists amongst all states of India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pongala</span> Harvest festival

Pongala is a harvest festival of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The name 'Pongala' means 'to boil over' and refers to the ritualistic offering of porridge made of rice, sweet brown molasses, coconut gratings, nuts and raisins. Generally women devotees participate in this ritual. Tamil people celebrate as Pongal.

Mattu Pongal is the third day of the four-day Pongal festival. According to the Gregorian calendar it is celebrated on 16 January. Though the name of the festival is specific to Tamil Nadu, it is also celebrated in other southern Indian states such as Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Makar Sankranti is a festival that marks the start of northern declination of the Sun from the Zodiac sign of Sagittarius to Capricorn, which according to Tamil calendar usually falls on 14 January.

Here is a list of glossary of culture of India in alphabetical order:

Thozhudur,, are twin towns decorated by Vellar River in Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhogi</span> First day of the Sankranti festival

Bhogi is the first day of the four-day Sankranti festival. It falls on last day of Agrahāyaṇa or Mārgaśīrṣa month of Hindu Solar Calendar, which is 13 January by the Gregorian calendar. It is the day before Makar Sankranti, celebrated widely in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mampatti</span> Village in Tamil Nadu, India

Mampatti is a village in Singampunari Taluk in Sivagangai District of Tamil Nadu State, India. It comes under Mampatti South panchayath union. It is a constituent of the ancient "Mallakottai Nadu" once, which was a part of 'Sivagangai Seemai'. For administrative purpose, the whole Mampatti region was divided into three Revenue Villages namely South Mampatti, North Mampatti and Mampatti Devasthanam, each under the authority of a Village Administrative Officer. Mampatti Devasthanam is the region that covers the land of temples that belongs to Sivagangai Samasthanam Devasthanam.

Kaanum Pongal or Kanum Pongal is the fourth and the final day of the four-day Pongal festival. It is observed in the month of Thai according to the Tamil solar calendar and usually falls on 16 or 17 January. Though the name of the festival is specific to Tamil Nadu, it is also celebrated in other southern Indian states such as Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka as the festival is significantly popular in South India. The day of Kaanum Pongal is often acknowledged as the Thiruvalluvar Day in remembrance of the great historic Tamil writer, poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar who was known for writing the world famous Thirukural. The day is also popularly treated as the sightseeing day as well as the Thanksgiving day. People believe Kaanum Pongal is an auspicious day to arrange marriage proposals and to kick start new bonds and relationships.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Pongal (Hindu festival)". Britannica . 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  2. ↑ "Religious Festivals". Government of India . Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Beteille, Andre (1964). "89. A Note on the Pongal Festival in a Tanjore Village". Man. 64. Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland: 73–75. doi:10.2307/2797924. ISSN   0025-1496. JSTOR   2797924.
  4. ↑ Agnihotri, Akanksha (13 January 2025). "Pongal 2025: When is Pongal? Know date, history, significance and all about 4 days of the festival". The Hindustan Times . Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Denise Cush; Catherine A. Robinson; Michael York (2008). Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Psychology Press. pp. 610–611. ISBN   978-0-70071-267-0. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  6. ↑ Béteille, André (1964). "A Note on the Pongal Festival in a Tanjore Village". Man. 64 (2): 74. doi:10.2307/2797924. JSTOR   2797924. It is now viewed by an increasing number of people as a symbol of all that is local and indigenous to Tamilnad. In many quarters it is celebrated today as thamizhar thirunal: the day auspicious to Tamils.
  7. 1 2 3 Kasturi, Prema; Madhavan, Chithra (2007). South India heritage: an introduction. East West Books. p. 223. ISBN   978-8-18866-164-0. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  8. 1 2 3 Gutiérrez, Andrea (2018). "Jewels Set in Stone: Hindu Temple Recipes in Medieval Cōḻa Epigraphy". Religions. 9 (9): 279–281, context: 270–303. doi: 10.3390/rel9090270 . ISSN   2077-1444.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Vijaya Ramaswamy (2017). Historical Dictionary of the Tamils. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. pp. 274–275. ISBN   978-1-53810-686-0. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Mani, A; Prakash, Pravin; Selvarajan, Shanthini (2017). Mathew Mathews (ed.). Singapore Ethnic Mosaic, The: Many Cultures, One People. World Scientific Publishing Company, Singapore. pp. 207–211. ISBN   978-9-81323-475-8. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  11. 1 2 Jagannathan, Maithily (2005). South Indian Hindu Festivals and Traditions. Abhinav Publications. pp. 139–141. ISBN   978-81-7017-415-8.
  12. ↑ Baliga (Rao Bahadur.), B. S. (1998). Madras District Gazetteers: Tiruchirappalli (pt. 1-2). Superintendent, Government Press. p. 338.
  13. ↑ "Kaapu kattu is not just a ritual". Vikatan (in Tamil). Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  14. ↑ Murthy, Neeraja (13 January 2020). "Citizens speak about the change they would want to see this Bhogi". The Hindu . ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  15. ↑ "Happy Bhogi 2022: Significance & History Of This Festival In South India". ABP News. 13 January 2022. Archived from the original on 14 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  16. ↑ Abbas, R (2011). History of People and Their Environs. Bharathi Puthakalayam. pp. 751–752. ISBN   978-9-38032-591-0. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  17. ↑ J. Gordon Melton (2011). Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations. ABC-CLIO. pp. 547–548. ISBN   978-1-59884-206-7.
  18. ↑ Roy W. Hamilton; Aurora Ammayao (2003). The art of rice: spirit and sustenance in Asia. University of California Press. pp. 156–157. ISBN   978-0-930741-98-3. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  19. ↑ "Pongal Harvest Festival". Archived from the original on 9 January 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  20. ↑ James G. Lochtefeld (2001). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Volume 2. The Rosen Publishing Group. pp. 514–515. ISBN   978-0-8239-3180-4. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gough, Kathleen (2008). Rural Society in Southeast India. Cambridge University Press. pp. 230–231. ISBN   978-0-521-04019-8. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  22. ↑ "Pongalo pongal". Deccan Chronicle . 14 January 2021. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  23. ↑ "Village celebrates Pongal as one community". The Times of India . 18 January 2019. Archived from the original on 19 January 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  24. ↑ G. Eichinger Ferro-Luzzi (1978). "Food for the Gods in South India: An Exposition of Data". Zeitschrift für Ethnologie. Bd. 103, H. 1 (1). Dietrich Reimer Verlag GmbH: 86–108. JSTOR   25841633.
  25. ↑ "What is Pongal? Learn some amazing facts about this harvest festival". India Today. 15 January 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  26. ↑ K.R. Gupta; Amita Gupta (2006). Concise Encyclopaedia of India. Atlantic Publishers. pp. 986–987. ISBN   978-81-269-0639-0. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  27. ↑ M. N. Pushpa (2012). An Ethnographic Study of the Urikara Naicken Community of Taminadu. Government Museum. p. 59. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  28. 1 2 Good, Anthony (1983). "A Symbolic Type and Its Transformations: The Case of South Indian Ponkal". Contributions to Indian Sociology. 17 (2). SAGE Publications: 223–244. doi:10.1177/0069966783017002005. S2CID   145809405.
  29. ↑ "Pongal mela on Sunday". The Hindu . 15 January 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  30. ↑ "A Celebration of Harvest". The New Indian Express . 15 January 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  31. ↑ "Traditional customs and practices - Kolams". Indian Heritage. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  32. ↑ Dr.Gift Siromoney. "KOLAM". Chennai Mathematical Institute. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  33. 1 2 Susan de-Gaia (2018). Encyclopedia of Women in World Religions: Faith and Culture across History. Abc-Clio. pp. 336–337. ISBN   978-1-4408-4850-6. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  34. ↑ G. Eichinger Ferro-Luzzi (1978). "Food for the Gods in South India: An Exposition of Data". Zeitschrift für Ethnologie. Bd. 103, H. 1 (1): 86–108. JSTOR   25841633.
  35. ↑ Gabriella Eichinger Ferro-Luzzi (1977). "The Logic of South Indian Food Offerings". Anthropos. Bd. 72, H. 3/4 (3/4): 529–556. JSTOR   40459138.
  36. ↑ Ramakrishnan, T. (26 February 2017). "Governor clears ordinance on 'jallikattu'". The Hindu . Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  37. ↑ "Holiday declared for Pongal in Kerala". The Hindu . 15 January 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  38. ↑ Norbert C. Brockman (2011). Encyclopedia of Sacred Places, 2nd Edition. ABC-CLIO. p. 22. ISBN   978-1-59884-655-3.
  39. ↑ Sreedhar Mini, Darshana (2016). "Attukal "Pongala": The "Everydayness" in a Religious Space". Journal of Ritual Studies. 30 (1): 63–73. JSTOR   44737780.
  40. ↑ Jenett, Dianne (2005). "A Million Shaktis Rising: Pongala, a Women's Festival in Kerala, India". Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion. 21 (1). Indiana University Press: 35–55. doi: 10.1353/jfs.2005.0009 .
  41. ↑ Gupta, K.R.; Gupta, Amita (2006). Concise Encyclopaedia of India. Atlantic Publishers. p. 987. ISBN   978-81-269-0639-0. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  42. ↑ Knott, Kim (2016). Hinduism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. p. 58. ISBN   978-0-19-874554-9. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  43. ↑ Singha, H.S. (2005). Sikh Studies. Hemkunt Press. pp. 101–102. ISBN   978-81-7010-245-8.
  44. ↑ Nikita Desai (2010). A Different Freedom: Kite Flying in Western India; Culture and Tradition. Cambridge Scholars. pp. 28–33. ISBN   978-1-4438-2310-4. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  45. ↑ McGilvray, Dennis (2012). "Pukkai". In Kuper, Jessica (ed.). The Anthropologists' Cookbook. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. pp. 200–203. ISBN   978-0-7103-0543-5.
  46. ↑ Indrakumar, Menaka (14 January 2021). "Thai Pongal: The Harvest Festival". Daily News . Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  47. ↑ "Meaning of 'Thai Pongal'". The Hindu . 14 January 2008. Archived from the original on 24 July 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  48. ↑ Painadath, Sebastian (2024). Inculturation in Christian Liturgy. Springer. pp. 449–452. Christians in Tamil Nadu use their common native language which is Tamil. In dress, food habits, social customs and relationships, common festivals, and so on, Christianity in Tamil Nadu has a shared identity of its own with all the people of the State. Many Christians are well-versed in Tamil music which is profusely used in their worship or celebration of cultural events. Festivals like Pongal are celebrated together. There are paradigms of inculturation.
  49. ↑ "Telangana celebrates Sankranti with traditional fervour". Telangana Today. 14 January 2021. Archived from the original on 24 October 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  50. ↑ "Grand Pongal celebration organized in Sri Lanka". The Times of India . 9 January 2024. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  51. ↑ "Thai Pongal celebrated across the globe". Archived from the original on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  52. ↑ Richmond, Simon (15 January 2007). Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. Lonely Planet. p. 490. ISBN   978-1-74059-708-1 . Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  53. ↑ "Malaysian Prime Minister Greets Ethnic Tamils on Pongal". NDTV . 15 January 2015. Archived from the original on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  54. ↑ "Mauritius celebrates Thai Pongal in style". Air Mauritius . Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  55. ↑ Sivasupramaniam, V. "History of the Tamil Diaspora". Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  56. ↑ "Hindus celebrate Thai Pongal". Straits Times. 14 January 1937. Archived from the original on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  57. 1 2 Ramakrishnan, Deepa H. (20 April 2017). "Virginia passes resolution designating Pongal Day". The Hindu . ISSN   0971-751X. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  58. ↑ "Community celebrates Thai Pongal harvest festival". Harrow Times. 19 January 2015. Archived from the original on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  59. ↑ "Statement by Liberal Party of Canada Leader Justin Trudeau on Thai Pongal". Liberal Canada. 14 January 2015. Archived from the original on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  60. ↑ "BLS services: India visa, passport services open seven days a week in Dubai and Sharjah". Gulf Times. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.