Vazhga Vazhamudan ! ! !
Makara Sankranthi (தைப்பொங்கல்):
According to Hindu mythology, this is when the day of the gods begins, after a six-month long night. (The Long Night is Thiruvathirai Day) The festival is spread over three days and is the most important and most fervently-celebrated harvest festival of South India. A special puja is performed on the first day of Pongal before the cutting of the paddy. Farmers worship the sun and the earth by anointing their ploughs and sickles with sandal wood paste. It is with these consecrated tools that the newly-harvested rice is cut.
Makara Sankranthi is celebrated all over India in different forms on the 14th January of every year with great enthusiasm and fervor. It marks the new beginning of joy, enlightenment, happiness, peace and prosperity after a sorrowful period marked by winter darkness, ignorance and other forms of negativism. It is also celebrated as the major harvesting festival all across the India.
This day according to the lunar calendar, the sun moves from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn or in Sanskrit calendar as it is called, from "Dakshinayana" to "Uttarayana".
The Sun’s Southward sojourn is called Night Time in the heavens or domain of the Divine energies, as all supportive energies have been less active or sleeping. Winter Solstice on January 15th marks the return of the Sun, Dawn in the heavens, or its movement Northward starting with the transit into the constellation of Capricorn.
From Puranas:
According to a legend, once Shiva asked his bull, Basava, to go to the earth and ask the mortals to have an oil massage and bath every day and to eat once a month. Inadvertently, Basava announced that everyone should eat daily and have an oil bath once a month. This mistake enraged Shiva who then cursed Basava, banishing him to live on the earth forever. He would have to plough the fields and help people produce more food. Thus the association of this day with cattle.
Another very interesting story is that of Maharaja 'Bhagiratha', who performed the great penance and underwent pain to bring Ganga down to the earth from heavens and seek redemption for the 60,000 dead sons of Maharaj Sagar. It also believed that the Bhishma from the Mahabharata, chose “Makar Sankranti” as the day to relieve his soul.
On this auspicious day millions of people take a dip in holy rivers like the Ganga at Allahabad, Haridwar and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, the Ganga Sagar (the point at which river Ganges and the bay of Bengal meets) and the river Prayag whereby they pray to the Sun God (Surya).
From Sangam Era:
The celebrations of Sangam Era led to today's Pongal celebrations. As part of the festivities, maidens of the Sangam era observed 'Pavai Nonbu' at the time of 'Thai Niradal' which was a major festival during the reign of the Pallavas (4th to 8th Century AD). It was observed during the Tamil month of Margazhi (December-January). During this festival young girls prayed for rain and prosperity of the country.
Throughout the month, they avoided milk and milk products. They would not oil their hair and refrained from using harsh words while speaking. Women used to bath early in the morning. They worshiped the idol of Goddess Katyayani, which would be carved out of wet sand. They ended their penance on the first day of the month of Thai (January-February). This penance was to bring abundant rains to flourish the paddy. These traditions and customs of ancient times gave rise to Pongal celebrations.
According to an inscription found in the Veeraraghava temple at Tiruvallur, the Chola King Kulothungan used to gift lands to the temple specially for the Pongal celebrations.
In southern India it is celebrated as Pongal. In the state of Gujarat, it is celebrated by flying several thousands of colorful kites.
"Thai Pirandhal Vazhi Pirakkum" is a Tamil saying meaning "the beginning of Thai paves the way for new opportunities". Thai is the 10th month in the Tamil calendar which is mid January in the Gregorian calendar. Thai Pongal is traditionally dedicated to the Sun God to thank the solar deity for the good harvest. Pongal in Tamil means "spill over" or "boiling over” and the boiling over of milk in the Pongal pot symbolizes luck and material abundance for the entire household.
Kolam:
On the day of Pongal, family members jointly draw the kolam with rice flour that can be plain as well as colored. A kolam can be a plain one or can be artistically drawn with symbols of cosmic interest. The kolam defines the sacred area where the Pongal is prepared.
‘Kolam’ Different Names:
The art of Kolam is known throughout India but by different names - Sanjhi in Uttar Pradesh, Alpana in Bengal, Mandana in Rajasthan, Chaukpurna in Madhya Pradesh, Rangoli in Maharashtra and Karnataka, Muggulu in Andhra Pradesh and Puvidal in Kerala. Although essentially a Hindu tradition, kolam is also known to the Jains, Buddhists and Parsis. It is said that Gautama Buddha was himself an expert in this art.
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