Pongal

Pongal is the harvest festival of Tamil people. It falls on the first day of the Tamil month of தை, which is usually January 14th and in some years January 15th. On that day, families give thanks to the sun, to their cattle and to the farmers for the year's harvest.

Tamil people celebrate it in Tamil Nadu, in Sri Lanka, especially in the north and east, and wherever Tamil families live around the world.

What the word means

The word பொங்கல் has two meanings. It is the name of the festival, and it is the name of the dish that families cook on the day. The word comes from the verb பொங்கு, "to boil over". The verb is also used for anything that rises and overflows, like the sea in a storm or a heart full of joy. Add the ending -அல் to the verb, and you get the noun பொங்கல், "the boiling over" or "the overflow".

That is why the moment the pot boils over is the heart of the festival.

The main day

The main day is called தைப்பொங்கல். Families wake up early. Many draw a கோலம், a pattern of lines and dots, on the ground in front of the house. It is drawn with rice flour, often with coloured powder. In Sri Lanka, many families now make it with grated coconut mixed with colour.

Then the family cooks pongal outside, in the open, in the morning sun. They use a clay pot over an open fire. Stalks of sugarcane stand next to it, and a turmeric plant or a garland of flowers is tied around the pot. Into the pot go new rice from the harvest, milk and jaggery, a brown sugar made from sugarcane. Some families add coconut, ghee, cashews or cardamom. In Sri Lanka, the pongal is often made with coconut milk and green gram as well.

Everyone watches the pot. When the milk rises and spills over the side, people call out பொங்கலோ பொங்கல். The overflowing pot is a sign of plenty for the year ahead. The first portion of the pongal is offered to the sun, to say thank you for the harvest. Then the family eats together. Many people also go to the temple, and visit relatives and neighbours.

The days around it

In Tamil Nadu, Pongal usually lasts three or four days.

• போகி, the day before: families clean the house and throw out old things. Many burn the old things in a fire, to make room for the new.
• தைப்பொங்கல், the main day: the pot boils over, as described above.
• மாட்டுப் பொங்கல், the day after: this day is for the cattle that help on the farm. People wash the cows and bulls, paint their horns, put flower garlands on them and feed them pongal.
• காணும் பொங்கல், the last day: families meet and go out together. Young people visit their elders and ask for their blessings.

In Sri Lanka, the celebration is shorter, and the main day is the big one. The day for the cattle is also kept there, and it is often called பட்டிப் பொங்கல். It is kept most in farming villages, and less in the cities.

What to say

The greeting for the day is இனிய பொங்கல் நல்வாழ்த்துகள். It means "Happy Pongal", or word by word, "sweet Pongal good wishes". You can say it to anyone you meet that day, and you can write it in a message or a card. When the pot boils over, join in and call பொங்கலோ பொங்கல் with everyone else. You will find both phrases below, and the words for the day after them.