Thai Pongal
Pongal (Tamil: பொங்கல Poṅkal [ poŋɡəl ], literally " boil over "), even Tai Pongal or Thai Pongal (Tamil: தை பொங்கல Poṅkal Tai [ Tai ˌ poŋɡəl ] ) a Tamil harvest festival. It is celebrated at the beginning of the Tamil month of Tai ( mid-January ) and is one of the most important Tamil holidays. Pongal also called the rice dish that is cooked during the festival, but can also be eaten at other times.
The festivities last for four days. On the first day, Bhogi, is burned, symbolic of a new beginning, old clothes and other old things or throwing them away. Vakisan Pongal, the actual Pongal Day, falls on the Tamil calendar on the first day of the Tamil month of Tai, usually the 14th or 15th of January. Early in the morning you cook the typical dish, which is also called Pongal. It consists of rice with fresh milk and palm sugar syrup from the new crop. According to ancient tradition, it shall be possible in open court in a new pot on a new fire pit. Large Bar of sugar cane standing next to the Pongal pot. Especially on this day is one important: Always boil over in order to display luck prosperity and abundance, the food must be. Everyone waits anxiously for this moment, and then calls itself cheerfully: " Pongal! Pongal ". Later visits to relatives and friends, blessed each other with different sweets and exchanged Festive Greetings from. This day is the most important of the Pongal festival.
On the third day, Mattu Pongal, thank you cows and buffaloes ritual for their services. In some areas of Tamil Nadu, there is at this day a bloody contest, Jallikattu, also known as Manju Virattu - chase the bulls. For the young men it comes to tame a wild, mostly drunken bull with bare hands.
On the last holiday, Kanum Pongal, the unmarried boys and girls gathered in earlier times on the banks of the rivers in order to choose their future husband / their future and to contact (the word ' Kanum ' is shown ). This custom no longer exists today. However, the people, mainly shopkeepers visit, on this day traditionally the beach and amusement parks.
Outside of South India people celebrate on the same day the feast of the solstice Makar Sankranti and Lohri in Punjab, the harvest festival, where customs and mythological backgrounds are other than in Tamil Pongal.