Happy Pongal!

Pongal is the major harvest festival and takes place over four days in mid-January. The first day is Bhogi and this day is used to get rid of the old and bring in the new, such as sleeping mats, earthen cookware, and clothing. The second day is Pongal, which is celebrated by making Rangoli art work on the entryway of houses, using kolam, or colored powder. The third day is Matthu or Cow Pongal, when thanksgiving is offered for the animals that help the farmers do their work and bring about the harvest. The last day is Kaanum Pongal, or the day for families to sightsee, go to movies, visit the beach, and so on. Here are some images from our local village celebration.


Sugar cane is the big treat for children during Pongal. Here you see it stacked at one of the street stands. The purple cane is used for eating, while green cane is harvested for making sugar. A generous volunteer bought 40 stalks and had it cut up so that everyone at Rising Star received one piece.


Two of our housemothers did the Rangoli artwork at the hostels this year. You see the traditional geometric design and a holiday wish for everyone.


This view shows two stalks of sugar cane and the boiling pot of pongal, made of rice and milk. The pongal is allowed to boil over as a symbol of the hope for prosperity during the coming year.


We attended the village Matthu Pongal celebration on the evening of the third day. The farmers wash their cows, paint their horns, and generally prepare them for the big showing in the village square. Looks like balloons have become part of the modern event.


Offerings of abundance are presented and blessed by the local brahmin during the evening. The offerings are prepared and presented by the village wives.


All the handsome men showed up, some with cows and some without. The man on the right happens to be the husband of one of our cleaning ladies. The whole evening was joyous for kids and adults alike, and the pampered livestock seemed to take it all in stride.


Following the festivities we received several invitations to visit people's homes. Here we are in front of the connected homes of Komethy and Sulochena, sisters-in-law that both work at Rising Star. We then visited the village leader's home and one other family before we called it a night. We drank so much boiled milk at the various homes that we thought we were going to burst. Altogether it was a fascinating evening.