THAI PONGAL CELEBRATION

Thai Pongal is a harvest festival of Tamil people in India. Usually it is celebrated in the first day of the Tamil month THAI. It is also a biggest festival for Tamil people. Its intension is to thank the god SURYA (SUN) and creatures and materials (tools) that helped human for his cultivation in a whole year. People consecrate their first grain to the god SURYA (SUN) .Pongal means “boiling over”. When the milk is boiling over people shouted “Pongola pongal” .At this time they add new harvested rice in the pot. Seeing the Boiling over of milk in a clay pot is trusted by giving good luck and prosperity. People put some kolams in their door steps and dedicate newly cooked rice, sugar cane, sweets, vadai, sweetened rice, milk and harvested vegetables to the god SURYA.Here we draw a simple kolam in our doorstep. My elder daughter was very interested to color it using color powders.But my younger daughter is very interested in wiping that kolam.What a naughty baby is she!

KARTHIGAI DEEPAM-FESTIVAL

Karthigai deepam festival, the festival of lamps, is one of the oldest festivals in Tamil Nadu.It is also the festival of lights which is continued from Diwali. In temples they arranged special prayers after lighting lamps. It is believed to bring happiness, fresh hope, prosperity and peace in every one’s life.

We (People in Tamil Nadu) follow Karthigai Deepam as an extension of Diwali. We are increasing the number of lamps day by day, after Diwali, till the Karthigai Deepam festival. Some people celebrate karthgai deepam festival in the last three days up to full moon day. It is a wonderful sight to see little lamps arranged on the extension, in front of the houses, in the courtyard where they are placed on Kolams, on windows etc. Especially it is a beautiful sight in the villages, where houses are lined.

Here we lights ahals in front of our home. In our apartment. We put a small kolam because of the lack of space in the courtyard.

We celebrate this festival by bursting crackers like Diwali.