Selva's Kitchen : Pongalo Pongal..!!!

The word ‘Pongal’ means ‘Overflowing’ which signifies abundance and prosperity.

Pongal Festival is a four day festival which actually celebrated from the last day of the tamil month Margazhi to the third day of atamil month Thai.Thai Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated by Tamil & SriLankan People at the end of the harvest season.This festival is to thank the Sun God for agricultural abundance.Pongal Festival is celebrated of first day of the tenth tamil month Thai, which is main day of the festival. So it is named as Thai Pongal. Pongal Festival Special – Sakkarai Pongal(Sweet Pongal), Sugarcane, Kolam, New Dress ...

Sakkarai Pongal (ChakkaraiPongal) is prepared with raw rice, moong dal & Jaggery. It is prepared during Pongal festival time & also in all the temple (kovil) fuctions, this will be offered by the devotees to God. Very easy to prepare and taste is also devine.So many sweet pongal varieties are there like rava sweet pongal, millet sweet pongal and so on. Traditionally, In village side, Pongal is prepared with newly harvested rice during Pongal festival to thank the Sun God. It can be prepared in Sand/Clay Pot & also in Brass Pot (Vengalapaanai) with a decoration of paints. But today we are modernized our cooking, by that way, cooker pongal takesplace in every home.

Happy Pongal...!!!

Bhogi Pongal (First day) – People discard old things and focus on new belongings.

Thai Pongal (Second day) - People decorate their homes with raw banana tree and mango leaves and embellish the floor with decorative patterns drawn using rice flour.On the day of pongal, at the time of sunrise there is a symbolic ritual of boiling fresh milk in a new clay pots and when the milk boils over and bubbles out of the vessel,people shout “Pongalo Pongal” and “Thai Pirandhal Vazhi Pirakkum”(the commencement of Thai paves the way for new opportunities).

Maatu Pongal (Third day) – Celebrated by the villagers to thank Cows for their favour of farming.People bathe their cattle and paint their horns with colourful paints.

Kaanum Pongal (Fourth day) – Day of family reunions.This day is to thank Relatives and friends for their support in the harvest.

Pongal Festival Recipes :

Click the pics for the recipes !

Sakkarai Pongal