Pongal festival

Pongal is the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu, celebrated over four days in the month of Thai (January-February) to mark the end of the harvest season. It is a time to give thanks to the gods for the bountiful harvest and to pray for continued prosperity in the coming year.

The first day of Pongal, called Bhogi Pongal, is dedicated to the cleaning of homes and the worship of Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. The second day, called Surya Pongal, is the main day of the festival when the sun god is worshipped. On this day, people boil rice with milk and jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) in a new clay pot and offer it to the sun god.

The third day of Pongal, called Mattu Pongal, is dedicated to the worship of cows and other farm animals. The cows are decorated with garlands and bells and are taken to a temple or a nearby water body for a ritual bath. The fourth and final day of Pongal, called Kaanum Pongal, is a day of feasting and merrymaking.

Pongal is a time for families and friends to come together and celebrate the harvest and pray for a prosperous new year.