Pongal is a prominent festival celebrated in the south of India. It is the 4-day-long harvest fest, mainly observed in Tamil Nadu, to show gratitude to nature. As the month of Thai, or say, January to February, is the time when harvesting of the crops like turmeric, sugarcane, and rice takes place, the festival, Pongal Sankranti, generally falls on January 14 or 15 every year.

The Tamilians' belief about Pongal festival is that their family problems will be sorted, beginning from this day, and joy and happiness shall shower upon them. Moreover, they are optimistic about the upcoming opportunities that Pongal 2024 will bring them. This significance of Pongal festival also makes it a month full of wedding dates.

Celebration of Pongal 2024

The first day of the Pongal Sankranti is celebrated as the Bhogi festival to praise Lord Indra, the God of rain, for delivering worth to the land. This festival is also known as Bhogi Mantalu owing to the ritual wherein the believers toss unwanted household items made of wood as well as cow dung cakes into the bonfire. Devotees sing carols, and girls dance around the bonfire to honor God. Bonfire is typically lit, considering the festival falls in winter. 

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Various ceremonies are held on Day 2, as per the Pongal Sankranti Date and Time. Along with worshiping, the adherents, in earthenware tied with a turmeric plant, cook rice in milk in the open sky, outside their house. This kheer, along with the other offerings, is then presented to Lord Sun. The background gets decorated using two sticks of sugarcane. Coconut and banana leaves adorn the dishes. The husband and the wife dispose of the utensils thus utilized. Moreover, during the celebration, they get dressed in traditional clothes as well as accessories. On the day of the festival, the lady of the house bathes early in the morning and, using white lime powder, artistically traces the house’s entrance. It is one of the most common rituals of the Pongal festival. 

Day 3 of the Pongal Sankranti is known as Mattu Pongal or the day of cows. The celebration is marked by worshiping the cows, adorning them with multi-colored bells, a swag of flowers, jingling bells, and sheaves of corn. The cows are fed with Pongal, after which they are taken back to the village. Males of the family organize a cattle race. Aarti is held to ward off any evil eye. All in all, it is an aroma filled with fun and happiness. 

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Kannum Pongal Day, or Knau, is Day 4 of the 'Happy Pongal' carnival. On this day, the women of the house, before bathing, wash the turmeric leaf properly and, once they do so, place it on the ground. The leftovers of Venn Pongal and sweet, normal rice, colored rice, betel nuts, betel leaves, plantains, and sugarcane are placed on the leaf. Then, all the females of the house gather in the courtyard of their house, and after placing the leaf in the center, pray for the success of their brother's family. They then perform aarti using turmeric water, limestone and rice for their brothers, finally sprinkling this water on the Kolam at the house entrance.

Significance of Pongal 

The history behind the Pongal festival importance recalls an incident of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva sent Nandi, his bull, to earth asking everyone to have an everyday oil massage and bath, while devouring a meal once a month. However, Nandi spread a message that was just opposite to what Lord Shiva had asked him to say. He communicated that everyone should take a bath once a month and have a meal daily. Lord Shiva was outraged at this and cursed Nandi to live on earth permanently. Nandi was thus asked to plough fields and help individuals boost the production of food. Due to this, the Pongal festival importance heads towards cattle and crop harvesting.

Pongal 2024: History 

Celebrated first in the Sangam Age between 200 B.C. to 300 A.D. as the Dravidian harvest festival, the Pongal was popularly marked as Pavai Nonbu at the time of Pallavas rule. During the Tamil month of Margazhi, the month of celebration of Pongal, girls bathe early and pray for rain as well as the prosperity of our country and keep themselves away from milk and its products. Moreover, they neither oil their hair nor use any kind of harsh words while speaking. Girls further, using wet sand, sculpt the idol of Goddess Katyayani and worship it. This self-mortification concludes on Thai, the first day of the Tamil month. All these traditions and customs gave rise to Pongal.

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Wish you all a very Happy Pongal 2024! Enjoy the festival with great zeal and enthusiasm.

FAQs

Q.1 Where is Pongal festival celebrated?

Ans. The people of South India, especially Tamils, will be seen greeting each other with 'Happy Pongal'. 

Q.2 For how many days is Pongal celebrated?

Ans. As per the details of the Pongal Sankranti Date and Time, it is celebrated for 4 days. This year it will begin on January 15, 2024, and end on January 18, 2024.