Thai Pongal

Ok, first thing that would be running through your mind would be either


"REMON?? BLOGGING ABOUT AN INDIAN FESTIVAL?? GAGAGAGA"

or


"Why does Remon even care about it?"


Well, i can't blame them for saying either 2.

Well, Pongal is celebrated today, 14th of January 2009 this year!

Well, like Chinese New Year and Awal Muharram, Pongal is celebrated inconjunction of the New Year in the Hindu Solar Calender.

By now you should know that Hindus' celebrate this festival. Pongal basically means overflow, or according to my mom, spillover.

(A colourful design called “Kolam” is made by saffron flour and wheat flour)

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Usually, it is celebrated by boiling rice with fresh milk and jaggery in new pots, which are later topped with brown sugar, cashew nuts and raisins early in the morning and allowing it to boil over the vessel. This tradition gives Pongal its name.

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(This is one of the Machas' pouring the milk into the claypot)

The moment the rice boils over and bubbles out of the vessel, the tradition is to shout of "Ponggalo Ponggal!" and blowing the sangu (a conch), a custom practiced during the festival to announce it was going to be a year blessed with good tidings. For Tamils, it is considered a good sign to watch it boil over, since it means that good luck and prosperity is forthcoming.

(The milk overpour)

Like every big celebration, Pongal is celebrated with gift-giving, visiting homes, and feasting.

You know something, its not nessasary only for Indians to celebrated this festival, as its significance is thanking nature for its prosperity. We should all be thankful! :p

SO, if you do see Mogan or Dinesh or Daya or Any other Indians, go scream at them

"Pongolo Pongal!....

... and Happy Deepavaaalliii!"