PONGAL CELEBRATION IN UPHSD @ FENCE EDUCATION ACADEMY
Fence Education Academy Celebrated the PONGAL'16 in UPHSD (University of Perpetual Help System), Las - Pinas City, Manila- Philippines.
Pongal is a four-days-long harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India. For as long as people have been planting and gathering food, there has been some form of harvest festival. Pongal, one of the most important popular Hindu festivals of the year. This four-day festival of thanksgiving to nature takes its name from the Tamil word meaning "to boil" and is held in the month of Thai (January-February) during the season when rice and other cereals, sugar-cane, and turmeric (an essential ingredient in Tamil cooking) are harvested.
On the first day, Bhogi Pongal, celebrations are confined to the house. Evil spirits are driven out of the home and burnt in bonfires, and the house is whitewashed.
The second day, Surya Pongal, honors the Sun god. Members of the family wear new clothes and cook - on a new stove and in new pots - a dish with the newly harvested rice, jaggery and moong dal.
The third day is Maattu Pongal, honoring cattle. Cows and bullocks are washed, decorated and worshipped, for their role in ensuring a good harvest.
The Fourth day is known as Knau or Kannum Pongal day. On this day, a turmeric leaf is washed and is then placed on the ground. On this leaf are placed, the left overs of sweet Pongal and Venn Pongal, ordinary rice as well as rice colored red and yellow, betel leaves, betel nuts, two pieces of sugarcane, turmeric leaves, and plantains.
Pongal also marks the beginning of a New Year and is the day to praise and thank God with full devotion, faith and sincerity of heart. The festival covers all living beings including humans, cattle and birds and crops.
Even the insects are not overlooked and offered rice and flour, in the form of 'Kollam', on the entrance way of the houses. Thus, Pongal is a day for peace and happiness for all.
