Home

Pongal Coloring pages

In South, Makar Sankranti becomes Pongal. It is a celebration of the harvest, which is observed for three days in January. Bhogi Pongal, Surya Pongal and Mattu Pongal, are the three days of Pongal festivities on successive days. In certain parts cattle races still enliven the village festivities. Pongal is a colourful and traditional festival with many ceremonies devoted to various deities.
Pongal is an important festival of South India, and people pray to the Sun God on this occasion.
The sun is very powerful god and helps in the growth of the paddy and other plantations. This festival is very important for farmers and celebrated in a grand manner in the villages. The house is cleaned, and all maintenance jobs are done before this festival. During the four-day festival, different varieties of Rangoli are drawn in the courtyard of the houses early in the morning.
Bhogi : The celebrations start on the last day of Margazhi, which is known as ‘Bhogi’. On this day, people get up early in the morning to take bath and place all the trash in front of the house and inflame it. People dispose old and useless things from our house and replace with new ones. Then they draw Rangoli.

Pongal : Using the new rice of the paddy crop, the recipe ‘pongal’ is made and offered to God. The sun God moves in chariot driven by seven horses. A picture of the chariot is drawn in an open space when the sun arrives. A small sun is drawn at the centre of the chariot. Turmeric sprigs and sugarcane are placed and pooja is done onto the chariot. Then the dishes are offered to the God. Once the pooja is over, everyone in the house takes a small amount of Pongal and sprinkles all over the house, saying ‘Pongalo Pongal’.
This is done as a prayer to God to bless their houses.
Maatu Pongal : The next day is Maattu Pongal — pongal for the cows. Cows are worshipped on this day. Milk suppliers decorate their cows. They paint the horns, apply colours and tie clothes to them. Then they take the cows to all the houses.

Kaanum Pongal : People go for outings and enjoy this day. This is a day of enjoyment and entertainment outside. In Madurai, Tiruchirapalli and Tanjore a kind of bull fight called the Jellikuttu is held. Bundles containing money are tied to the horns of the ferocious bulls, and unarmed men try to wrest the bundles from them.With ingredients provided by freshly gathered harvest, community meals are held at many a place.