The four-day Tamil festival of Pongal is going to be celebrated from January 14 to 17 this year to thank the Sun God, Lord Indra and Goddess Uma for helping the farmers for bounty of crops.
During the festival, the traditional dish prepared from the new harvest of rice boiled in milk with jaggery in a pot heated till the the dish starts flowing out.
The four days of the Pongal festival are called Bhogi Pongal, Surya Pongal, Maatu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal. It is on the second day, boiled milk with rice and jaggery is offered to the Sun God.
The cooking is orgaised ceremonially in sunlight either in the porch or the courtyard of the house. Day also marks the end of winter solstice and starts the sun god's journey north and blessing of abundance are sought from Goddess Pongal or Parvati. On the Mattu Pongal day, the cattle is worshiped.
Read the inset acrostic as a visual to know further the significance this Tamil festival
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