Pongal - The harvest festival # 2

The second day of Pongal is known as 'Surya Pongal' and is dedicated to the Sun God. It is the day on which the celebration actually begins and is also the first day of the Tamil month Thai.

Women wake early on this day to create elaborate kolam patterns on the ground in front of their doorway or home. Kolam is created with colored rice flour placed on the ground carefully by using one's hand.

On this day the new rice is collected and cooked in pots until they over flow. It is this overflowing which means Pongal. This overflowing of rice is a joyous occasion, and the children and adults as well will shout out 'Pongal-o-Pongal!'

Unlike what you see in the picture, most of the house hold these days use stainless steel pots instead of clay pots

After which the prepared pongal and other food items and sugarcane which plays an important part in this festival are offered to god before one can eat.

The rice is cooked and prepared as a dish called pongal, which is rice with dhal and sugar. This Pongal variety is called venpongal, ven meaning white is made using milk and rice. Another variety is also prepared with dhal and jaggery (sweet), called chakara pongal, chakrai meaning sweet. To accompany the venpongal, people eat brinjal (eggplant) sambar (stew), vadai and spicy accompaniments.

Wishing all those of you who celebrate pongal a very safe and happy pongal!

* pics source - Internet