(Tamil: தைப்பொங்கல்)
Pongal
Observed by Tamils
Type Festival, Tamilnadu, India, Northern Province, Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka
Significance Harvest festival. Thanking the sun god for agricultural abundance
Date First day of the tenth month of Thai in the Tamil calendar
2011 date 15 January
2012 date 15 January
Celebrations Feasting, gift-giving, visiting homes
The Harvest Festival of India – Pongal
Pongal, the harvest festival of India is celebrated to thank God for the good harvest produced during the year. On Pongal, people drive away all the bad memories of the past year by burning their old items and looking forward for a new beginning.(Tamil: தைப்பொங்கல்) |
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Pongal |
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Observed by | Tamils | ||||||||||||||
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Type | Festival, Tamilnadu, India, Northern Province, Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka | ||||||||||||||
Significance | Harvest festival. Thanking the sun god for agricultural abundance | ||||||||||||||
Date | First day of the tenth month of Thai in the Tamil calendar | ||||||||||||||
2011 date | 15 January | ||||||||||||||
2012 date | 15 January | ||||||||||||||
Celebrations | Feasting, gift-giving, visiting homes |
Pongal 2012 is quite significant because of the transit in which Sun enters Capricorn on Jan 15th. This transit is a powerful opportunity to change your old ways and rewrite the rules for the next year. You will be amazed to know that even Indra, the king of heaven, rejoices during this time of abundance, fun, luxury and happiness.
- January 14th – Bogi Festival: On the morning of January 14th, prior to the transit, is a time to clean your homes and your mind. Spiritually this means an overhaul of your current self and getting ready for a higher self.
- January 15th – Pongal: Sun Enters Capricorn and winter comes to an end.
- January 16th – Mattu Pongal/Cow Pongal: Pongal usually being the Harvest Festival of India is traditionally a time to celebrate the harvest and share the yield. People, cows, ants and crows are all well fed and their part in the big eco wheel is acknowledged.
- January 17th – Kaanum Pongal: A time to gather along with family and rejuvenate yourself!