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Pongal
by W.Holidays
Pongal
or Thai Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated by Tamils (originating
in Southern India and Sri Lanka). Pongal means "boiling over or
spill over." Letting milk boil over is considered
prosperous. Pongal is celebrated for four days beginning on
January 15th to give thanks to the bountiful harvest. This
festival dates back at least 1,000 years.
On the first day of
Pongal, worn out cloths and household items are burned in a huge
bonfire and offerings are made to the rain god. On the second
day, rice is boiled in milk in new pots outdoors until it boils
over. This is a momentous event that is greatly celebrated.
The rice is topped with sugar cane, nuts, and raisins. It is
offered to the sun god and later eaten by the event participants along
with other sweets. The third day is dedicated to the
cattle. Cows are decorated with paint, beads, bells, and
flowers. They are feed sweet rice and led through town. The
last day of Pongal people visit family and friends.
Sources:
Pongal Festival
Wikipedia.org
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