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Pongal Celebration with Vaer Organic

celebrate pongal with vaer organic

Pongal is the harvest festival celebrated for four days in Tamil Nadu. It is celebrated all over India under different names like Sankranti or Makara Sankranti, Lohri, Magh Bihu, etc. It is also celebrated in other countries like Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Singapore, USA where Indians live. 

Pongal is also called “Thai Pongal”, related to the tenth month of the Tamil calendar. The four-day celebrations during Pongal have different activities for each day. People generally pay their respects to god and all things related to their livelihood. The word Pongal in Tamil means “spillover” or “overflow”. 

Pongal is also related to the preparation of rice dishes as part of a tradition. A mixture of rice, jaggery, milk, lentils, etc is cooked and allowed to spill outside the pot. It is believed, when rice gets spilled over the earthen pot, it is likely to be in abundance for the family throughout the year. The festivities last for four days. 

First-Day – Bogi:

This year, the Bogi festival falls on January 14th. It is celebrated in the honor of Lord Indra, the god of rain. Many farmers worship lord Indra in the belief that he gives prosperity and happiness to the land. Hence, farmers worship lord Indra to bless them with a good harvest. 

On the day of bogi, many people cook chili bhajji and seasonal veggies as part of their menu. Veggies like flat beans, carrots, brinjals, and fresh green chana are added so that the recipe has a slightly sour and sweet taste. During the festival, people also throw their old possessions and bring new stuff. 

Second-Day – Pongal: 

It is a harvesting festival and hence it can be considered as the ‘thanksgiving’ Festival. This festival is celebrated to thank the Sun God for helping farmers in getting a bumper yield from their crops. It is also celebrated not only thanks to the Sun god but also by Mother Nature, and the various farm animals that help to contribute to a bountiful harvest. Celebrated over four days, Pongal also marks the beginning of the Tamil month called Thai, which is considered an auspicious month. 

It usually falls on the 14th or 15th of January each year. This year it falls on 15th January. Kummi is one of the most popular dances, and it is performed on the occasion of Pongal. It is also one of the most ancient dances of Tamil Nadu and is said to have evolved as a dance form even before music. 

The main dishes of the Pongal festival are Venpongal and Sweetpongal. 

Third-Day – Mattu Pongal: 

In Tamil. the word “Mattu” means bull and this day of Pongal is for the celebration of cattle, particularly bulls that play a vital role through their hard work thereby helping the farmer. This helps them to grow their crops on the fields at a faster pace as their workload is shared. The festival is observed by ethnic Tamilians all over the world. Mattu Pongal celebrations are dedicated to worshiping livestock, wherein people especially in rural areas worship bulls and cows by decorating them colorfully. The cattle are washed, and their horns are painted and covered with shining metal caps. Multi-colored beads, tinkling bells, sheaves of corn, and flower garlands are tied around their necks. They are fed with Pongal and taken to the village center. Devotees pay their respect to cows by bending down and touching their feet and forehead, which is followed by an aarthi (showing fire to the object of praise) and offering the cattle prasadam (food, in this case, Pongal). Jallikattu – A Bull Festival called Jallikattu is held in Madurai, Tiruchirappalli and Tanjavur on this day. Bundles of money are tied to the horns of ferocious bulls, which the villagers have to try and retrieve. Everyone joins in the community meals to taste the freshly harvested grain. This day is named and celebrated as Tamizhar Tirunal.

Fourth-Day Kaanum Pongal: 

The word, “Kaanum” is known as “viewing and seeing”. Kaanum Pongal is a day of relaxation and enjoyment, and it implies that people spend their time arranging family trips, picnics, and visiting neighbors and relatives. Kaanu is celebrated to mark the day when sisters pray for the welfare of their brothers. It is also associated with keeping food for crows, sparrows, and other birds and praying for the unity of the family. 

Main dishes of the Pongal festival: 

Chakara Pongal, Ven Pongal, Tamarind rice, Bisi belle bath, Lemon rice, Coconut rice, Tomato rice, and Ghee rice are the Traditional dishes that are made during this 4-day festival. By using organic rice, one can easily lead a healthy life. It is easy to buy organic rice online at Vaer Organic online store. 

Main Ingredients: 

Raw rice, jaggery, cashew, raisin(kismis), cardamom, cumin, pepper, ghee, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander, mustard, tamarind, Bengal gram, moong dhal, urad dhal, Rava, wheat flour, and salt are the 19 essential commodities used as ingredients during the Pongal festival. Apart from these, sugarcane is also one of the main items consumed during the Pongal festival. 

At vaerorganic.coman online organic store, you can easily find all the above ingredients at affordable prices. Vaer Organic have a deep connection with the Pongal festival as all ingredients are mostly sourced from both small and big farmers, thereby playing a vital role in their sustenance. 

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