The Tamil festival Pongal dates back to at least 200 B.C. To 300 A.D., which is also known as the Sangam Age. The festival even has its mentions in Sanskrit Puranas and is one of the oldest festivals that Tamilians celebrate. It first came into light as the Dravidian Harvest festival, which then developed as Pongal, and it is now celebrated every year in the middle of January.
Observance of Pongal in Ancient Times
The observation of the festival first began in the Sangam Era when it was celebrated as “PavaiNonbu.” During that time, young girls used to observe it and pray for their homes for wealth and prosperity. They also prayed for the rain, and it was observed in the Tamil month of Margazhi, the duration of December to January.
To observe this event, girls avoided every dairy product. They used to wake up early and take a bath. They then used to worship the idol of Goddess Katyayani. The penance was performed for a month as it was the belief that doing so would bring rain for the rice to grow. This practice slowly turned to modern age celebration, which is now known as “Pongal.”
Today it is celebrated for four days and majorly in South India, the state of Tamil Nadu by Tamilians. According to one inscription, it has stated that Chola King Kiluttunga used to gift land to the temple on the occasion of Pongal, especially for the celebration.
Legends of Pongal
There are a few legends related to Pongal. One such legend is about Lord Shiva and his vehicle Basava. Once Lord Shiva told the Basava to go on Earth and ask people to have an oil massage and bath every day and to eat once a month. Basava went on to Earth, but mistakenly he announced that people need to eat daily and have an oil bath once a month.
This enraged Lord Shiva, and he cursed Basava to remain on Earth and help people plow their fields to produce more food. That is why Basavas are related to the fields, and for that, they also get respect from people when the cattle are cleaned and worshipped during Pongal.
There is another legend that is related to Lord Krishna and Indra. When Krishna used to live in Brij, he saw people worshipping and pleasing Indra every year. This was the belief of people that doing so would make rain by Indra’s grace.
Lord Krishna asked all the people not to worship Indra because it is the Govardhana hill that provides woods and other resources. When the people didn’t worship Indra, it infuriated the heavenly being, and he flooded the Brijbhumi with immense rain. To protect the people and the cattle, Krishna lifted the Govardhana mountain and sheltered everyone under it.
This act of Krishna mesmerized every living being, and they got enlightened about Krishna is the supreme power and realized the importance of Govardhana. Since that time, people worship God to provide them food and resources, which remains the same as Pongal, where people show gratitude to God for the food and rain.
Pongal Celebrations
The celebration encounters grand gestures in South India, especially by the Tamilians. It is delighted for four days where the first day of Pongal refers to cleaning home and collecting all useless wood and agriculture wastage. This wastage is used to throw into the bonfire instead of heating the bonfire with synthetic fuel.
People also worship Lord Indra for rain, and he is the heavenly being who is responsible for controlling the clouds in Hinduism.
On the second day, the sweet “Pongal” is prepared. Boiled rice remains the prime ingredient, and other items are used to sweeten it further and to make it delicious. Jaggery and mung dal are another two important ingredients that make the sweet. People offer Pongal to their God and then distribute it with their relatives and friends.
They also make plenty of Pongal for their cattle since the third day is about cleaning and worshipping the cattle. It is the day where Basava is worshipped for his service in the fields. People also worship their cows and buffaloes since they provide milk.
People decorate their animals by offering them garlands made of flowers. They paint their horns and offer the bells that produce relaxing sound when the animals walk. In villages, people often reach outside and look for each other’s cattle and animals for their decoration.
Farmers also worship the Sun, Earth, and nature for supporting them with the right environment or ecosystem that makes agriculture possible. The Sun is worshipped separately since the Pongal is also considered the day in heaven after a long night of six months. Farmers worship their tools, which they use for agriculture and harvesting the crops.
The fourth and final day is about collecting all the leftovers, place them on a turmeric leaf, and women pray for their family’s wellbeing.
