The harvest season brings in its wake the harvest festival Pongal which literally means new rice cooked with jaggery. Although the spirit of Pongal can be experienced mainly in the rural areas of the state of Tamilnadu, the city of Chennai successfully captures it in the crowded bazaars and way side markets where the seasonal sugarcane and colourful mud pots hail the festival time.
People purchase new cooking pots and boil fresh rice in milk. Then they salute each other with the question, "Has the milk boiled?" To which the answer is given that "the boiling (Pongal) is over."
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Pongal also known as Makar Sankranti in the middle of January, which marks the beginning of the northerly journey of the sun, is an occasion for universal rejoicing in India.
In Tamil Nadu, Makar Sankranti is called Pongal, when the Tamils celebrate thanks giving for a bounteous harvest. It marks the commencement of the Tamil year, and is the day for congratulatory visits.
The four day festival commences on the last day of the Tamil Month Margazhi, with Bhogi Pongal, which is confined to domestic observance. Next day on the Surya Pongal, newly harvested rice is cooked and offered to the Sun god amidst jubilant chanting of "Pall Pongi Achaa?" (Did the milk boil?) "Pall Pongitru" (Yes, it did.) referring to the thick porridge of new rice and milk which is offered to the Sun. The third day, Mattu Pongal, is dedicated to the cattle. They are scrubbed, washed and decorated, their horns painted in gay colours, and they are fed, the cooked rice is offered to the Sun.
Thus in the harvest festival worship of the sun, the earth and the cattle, the three governing forces of primeval pastoral life takes place.
The harvest is over. With leisure on hand, farmers indulge in boisterous pastimes.
On the fourth day of the Pongal festival, Jallikattu, (taming of ferocious bulls), brawny macho farmers prove their prowess in games like bull fight, snatching the money bags tied between the horns of fierce bulls, etc. In reality, the South Indian festival seems to be dedicated to the glorification of agriculture. Cattle are decorated with garlands, their horns coloured, and mango leaves hung round their necks. Then they are led about in procession exempted from all labour, and virtually, if not actually, worshipped.
On this occasion the Jallikattu (bull fight) is held in Nanganallur, near Chennai. Cattle are decorated with garlands, their horns are coloured and mango leaves are hung round their necks. They are led in a procession.
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