Pongal Festival Essay: The harvest festival of Tamil Nadu that falls in the month of January is called Pongal festival. It is celebrated during solar equinox and marks the harvest of crops like sugarcane, rice, turmeric etc. It is a four day celebration marking the importance of natural resources. The festivities take place with the ceremonial bath traditions followed by worshipping Sun God and preparing hot sweet curry named “Pongal”. Pongal is a very auspicious festival in Hindu mythology.
Essay on Pongal Festival 500 Words in English
Below we have provided the Pongal Festival Essay in English, suitable for class 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10.
Pongal is the biggest and the most famous festival of the Tamil community in Tamil Nadu and the Pondicherry state of India. It is a four days festival and is celebrated by the farmers as a thanks-giving in the harvesting season. Every year it falls on 14th or 15th January. Pongal means to boil or overflow and is named after a traditional dish made from the harvest of rice cooked in milk with jaggery. Moreover, it is a form of devotion offered to Sun God. The four days of the Pongal festivals are- Bhogi, Surya, Mattu and Kaanum Pongal. The festival is not restricted to India but celebrated by the Tamilian who reside in other countries like Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore and South Africa.
History of Pongal Festival
According to Sanskrit scholars, the history of Pongal dates back to the Chola period where it appears on numerous texts and inscriptions. The festival has been given different names like- Ponakam, Tiruponakum and Ponkal. From Chola dynasty to Vijayanagara Empire, major Hindu temples display inscriptions of the recipe which is similar to the Pongal dish. Also, the legends describe the method of celebrating the festival.
Pongal Celebrations
The festival is observed for four days- Bhogi, Surya, Mattu and Kaanum Pongal.
- Bhogi Pongal – The festival commences on the day of Bhogi Pongal as it marks the last day of the Tamil month. It is dedicated to the rain Lord Indra as they offer prayers and ask them to bless with the prosperity of their agricultural land.
- Mattu Pongal – This festival is similar to the celebration of the Maharashtrian community called Pola, where cow worship is paramount and significant to the farmers. On this day, they decorate cows with multicoloured beads, tinkling bells, paint their horns, and flower garlands.
- Surya Pongal – It is the most important of all as it is celebrated to venerate Hindu God Surya (Sun). The day is celebrated with relatives and friends by preparing the famous dish called Pongal. The dish is cooked in an earthen pot which is adorned with turmeric and flower garland.
- Kaanum Pongal – This marks the last day where the leftovers of the Pongal dish, coloured rice, betel leaves and nuts, two pieces of sugarcane and other cooked meals are placed on the washed turmeric leaf in the courtyard.
Short Essay on Pongal Festival
India is a country of diversity. Numerous festivals are celebrated due to its secular nature. One such festival is Pongal which is celebrated in the southern part of India called Tamil Nadu. It is the famous festival among the Tamil community. It falls on 14th or 15th of January every year. As soon as the winter solstice is over, this festival is celebrated to mark the beginning of harvest season. It is also known as the month of weddings.
People believe that the festival brings good wishes, health, prosperity and peace for the family. The festivals are divided into four days to worship God of Sun and Rain, to express love for the cows and to end it with expressing profound gratitude to Mother Nature. The four names are-Bhogi, Surya, Mattu and Kaanum Pongal.
Bhogi Pongal which is dedicated to Lord Indra, traditionally known as Rain God, to offer thanks for the lovely harvest. Surya Pongal celebrated to acknowledge Sun God by preparing their famous signature dessert known as Pongal dish. The third day is celebrated to respect their friend-cows. They are embellished with paint, flower garlands, colourful beads etc. Everybody worships the cow with an Aarti followed by dancing and singing.
The fourth and the last one is Kaanum Pongal, where the leftovers of the three days festival are placed on the turmeric leaf along with other dishes in the centre of the courtyard. Women gather there and pray for the prosperity, health and happiness of their family members. The four-day festival is celebrated by everyone with great happiness, as it is believed that Pongal is the festival known as the harbinger of hope and joy.