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Four Days Of Pongal |
Pongal festival is not celebrated for a single day but it is celebrated for four days. The four days of Pongal celebrations are fully enjoyed by people. Pongal is mostly celebrated in south India and mainly by the people of Tamil Nadu. Pongal is a harvest festival and people thank sun God, earth and farm animals during the four days of Pongal festival as they all help the farmer to produce a high yield of paddy.
There are several Pongal rituals that are performed during the four days of Pongal celebrations. Pongal kolams are an integral part of Pongal celebrations and people draw Pongal kolams on all the four days of the Pongal festival. |
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The four days of Pongal are known by different names that are given below:
First day of Pongal festival – Bogi
Second day of Pongal festival – Surya Pongal
Third day of Pongal festival – Maattu Pongal
Fourth day of Pongal festival – Kaanum Pongal
Bogi
Bogi is the first day of the Pongal festival. On this day people worship Lord Indra and houses are cleaned much before to make the place pious. Pongal kolams are also drawn on this day. People conduct Prayers on this day before cutting the paddy crop. People also worship Sun God and equipments used to cut the crop. Old clothes and useless materials are thrown by people in fire on this day as it symbolizes ending of the old things and beginning of the new. Girls wear new clothes after the oil massaging and they perform Pongal dances around the bonfire.
Surya Pongal
Surya Pongal in the second day of Pongal festival and as the name suggests it is associated with sun God. On this day women wake up early in the morning to draw a Pongal kolam at the entrance of their house. New rice is cooked on this day in a pot; the rice is mixed with milk and jaggery. The mixture is then allowed to boil until the rice falls and this is said to be Pongal. This Pongal is made in an open area where people are collected and the first offering of this Pongal is made to the sun God. Several pongal dishes are cooked on this day and people greet each other wishing a very happy Pongal.
Maattu Pongal
Since Pongal is a festival of harvest and farm animals are real friends of a farmer so this third day of Pongal celebrations is dedicated to these farm animals. On this day farm animals like cattles, bulls and cows are worshiped. The farm animals are dressed in a beautiful way and are offered Pongal. The animals are then taken for a round in the entire village and people bow heads and touch their feet and forehead.
Kaanum Pongal
Kaanum Pongal is the fourth day of the Pongal festival and this is also known by the name of Karinaal or Thiruvalluvar Day in few places. On this day people worship sun God and it is offered with food that is cooked recently along with Sarkarai Pongal. Sugarcane is also offered on this day, as it is a symbol of sweetness and joy in life. This day is very much similar to the festival of Rakhsha Bandhan as women pray for the success of their brothers. People also visit places of their near and dear ones on this day and specially the old members of the family to pay them respect.
Apart from the above people sing Pongal songs and perform dances. Visiting temples is a regular phenomenon that people follow during these four days of Pongal.
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