India's "Harvest Festival" www.deekpay.com

What is the Harvest Festival?

IndiaPongal, the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu, marks the time of new beginnings. It marks the end of the cold winter and the beginning of the sun's six-month journey north. On this auspicious day, the sun is worshipped as the life force behind all creation. The festival lasts for four days and this period is known as Uttarayan Punyakalam. According to the Hindu solar calendar, this is a very auspicious time. Celebrated between 15 and 18 January every year, the festival is timed to coincide with the solar equinox - after which the days begin to get longer and the nights shorter. The Harvest Festival heralds the New Year in Tamil Nadu. People in the region believe that during this period, the gods wake up after a six-month-long slumber to bring prosperity and wealth to mortals.

History of the Harvest Festival

This most important festival in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu has a long history, dating back to the Jura period about 2000 years ago. It is centred around three crops - rice, turmeric and sugarcane - which are mainly grown in Tamil Nadu. The word Pongal means 'boiling' or 'overflowing'. It also refers to the dishes that are the most important part of the festival. This 4-day festival witnesses different versions of Pongal cooking. Traditionally, Pongal is cooked in the courtyard of the house at an auspicious time. The time is usually suggested by the temple priests. Even today, in many homes, Pongal is cooked in clay pots on stone cookers. The choice of wood as fuel gives Pongal a very distinctive flavour. When the dish starts to boil and overflow, people sing "pongalo pongal" to celebrate this auspicious occasion. People greet each other with "paal pongita" or "is the milk boiling?"

Celebration of harvest festivals

The Harvest Festival lasts for four days, each with its own significance, customs and rituals.

Bogipangal

This is the first day of the main celebrations. On this day, Indra, the god of clouds and rain, is worshipped and thanked for giving the earth a prosperous harvest. For this reason, Bhogi Pongal is also known as Indran. This day is usually spent by doing various household chores. Each member of the family cleans his or her room and throws away old and unused items.

Every home in India is thoroughly cleaned and scrubbed. After cleaning, the house is decorated with Kolams - floor designs made of white rice paste and clay. Kolams are not only hospitable and beautiful, but define the sacred area where the Pongal is prepared.

At the end of the day, freshly harvested rice, turmeric and sugarcane are brought in from the fields as part of the preparations for the next day. The day also includes dancing and singing around a bonfire in honour of Lord Indra. Hay left over from the farm and unwanted household items are added to the fire to keep it going. It is a symbol of leaving behind the baggage of the past and preparing for a new beginning.

Surya Harvest Festival/Thai Harvest Festival

The second day of the festival is considered to be the most important. It is known as Thai Pongal or Surya Pongal. The rituals on the second day are very elaborate. The ritual worship begins with the drawing of the kolam. This is done by the women early in the morning after bathing. The family members put on new clothes and then the most important rituals to prepare for Pongal begin. Rice is cooked in earthen pots with turmeric plants tied to them. The pot is placed on a clay cooker in the courtyard of the house. The pots are also beautifully painted. Once the rice is cooked and boiling, it is offered to the Sun God along with bananas, coconuts and sugar cane sticks. Harvest festivals are offered first to the gods, then to the animals, and finally distributed to friends and family. Maintaining this order is considered vital.

Matu Pongal

The third day is for cattle sacrifice. They are an integral part of farmers and their livelihoods and their blessings are sought on this day. In the morning, the family's cattle undergo a ritual bath. Their horns are then cleaned, polished, lacquered and decorated with flowers. Once the cow is adorned, aarti is performed to avert the evil eye. The worship of bulls stems from a legend as follows. It is believed that Lord Shiva once asked his adorable bull, Basava, to come to earth to deliver a message to mankind that they must take a bath and essential oil massage daily and eat once a month. Instead, Basava delivered the message that humans should eat every day, take a bath and have an oil massage once a month. Shiva became furious and banished his beloved bull to live on earth forever. He told Basava that in the future he would have to plough the land with a plough to help farmers cultivate and produce food. To this day, cows and bulls are revered in the region as they are believed to be descendants of Basava, the sacred bull. The harvest festival also involves a traditional cattle-herding sport called Jallikattu.

Kanum Harvest Festival

This is the last and fourth day of the festival and marks the end of the Harvest Festival celebrations. It is essentially a day of joy where people perform Pongal songs and dances. On this day, a special ceremony is performed. Sweet dumplings, betel leaves, bananas, betel nuts, two sugar canes, coloured rice (red and yellow) and other prepared items are placed together on washed turmeric leaf sand left in the courtyard. The main item, rice, is placed in the centre of the turmeric leaves. This is believed to be an offering to the birds. All the women of the family gather in the courtyard and pray for the prosperity of the family and especially the happiness of the brothers. Next comes the arati with turmeric water, rice, vermilion and limestone. This water is considered very sacred and is sprinkled all over the house. Kaanum Pongal is considered a very auspicious day for arranging marriage proposals and forging new bonds and relationships.

Harvest Festival Cuisine

The centrepiece dish of the festival is undoubtedly Pongal. This traditional dish is made from rice, moong dal and ghee. Different variations can be made using these basic ingredients. Rice, sugarcane, grains and turmeric are the main crops of Tamil Nadu. These are harvested during the Tamil month and play an important role in the preparation of Pongal. For this reason, the festival is often referred to as Thai Pongal. Traditionally, the first harvest of rice is used. This is why the harvest festival was first dedicated to the Sun God as prasadam, to thank him for the bountiful harvest. Turmeric has always been considered auspicious and is an integral part of Indian customs and rituals. Turmeric leaves are also used to decorate the earthen pots in which Pongal is prepared.

Sakkarai Pongal is the sweet version (with added coarse sugar) and Ven Pongal is the savoury version of this holy dish. The flavour and aroma of the Pongal is enhanced when it is made with pure ghee. To prepare Sakkarai Pongal, a mixture of rice, milk, moon peas, coarse sugar and ghee is made, boiled and allowed to overflow. Ven (white) Pongal, apart from being a traditional preparation for festivals, is also a popular breakfast dish in the state and is now served differently all over the country.

Apart from Pongal, other cuisines are also prepared during this festival. One of the important dishes is Pongal Kootu. Kootu means a combination of lentils and vegetables. This dish is basically a mizuna and includes seven kinds of seasonal vegetables. Pongal Kootu can be a mixture of fava beans, pumpkin, winter squash, potatoes, raw bananas, sweet potatoes and lima beans. Kara Murukku is a delicious and healthy snack made from urad dal, a crispy treat that is part of the Pongal feast. Its unique disc shape and crunchy texture also make it an all-time favourite evening snack.