January 14 is a very special day all for all Indians all over the world. This day is celebrated to mark the beginning of the harvest festival in every region of India in different manners and names such as Pongal, Makar Sankranti or Lohri. The Harvest Festival is a festival that is celebrated for the food grown on the land.
Pongal
In Tamil, Pongal translates to ‘boiling over’. The Pongal Festival derives its name from the tradition of boiling rice in a clay pot until it overflows. Pongal is thanksgiving to nature and all beings who help bring food (basic necessity) to us. It is also known as the harvest festival as farmers thank god for their bountiful harvest.
Pongal is a four-day festival. The first day is Boghi, spring cleaning day. On the second day, newly harvested rice and milk are cooked outdoor and offered to the Sun God to thank him for being the source of energy. On the third day, it is the day to worship the cattle who help plough the fields and the fourth day, it is a day to bond with family and friends.
Makar Sankranti
Makar Sankranti refers to a Sanskrit term sanskramana, which means begin to move. Makar Sankranti is a festival dedicated to Lord Surya as it marks the sun’s transit into the Makara raashi. It is very auspicious as it is one of the few Hindu festivals that are aligned with the solar cycle.
Makar Sankranti is believed as day of happiness and prosperity by Hindus and is started by taking a bath in the Ganges River. In many regions, Makar Sankranti festivals last 2 to 4 days. The main activities are praying to the Sun God, going for a holy dip, flying kites, preparing sweets with ghee and sesame seeds and worshipping cattle.
Lohri
Lohri marks the end of winter and is the welcome of longer days and the sun’s journey to the northern hemisphere, marking the onset of the harvest season. Like Pongal and Makar Sankranti, Lohri is also dedicated to Lord Indra. To fight the cold, families gather around the bonfire, sing and dance through the evening with lots of festive food. Some of these festive foods are Makhana (fox nuts), gajjak (sesame seed brittle) and rewri (Sesame seed toffee).
While the different regions have different names and a variety of practices, a common thread of welcoming the sun, thanking the earth and praying for abundance and honoring the rebirth, is evident through them all. Thus, marking the significance and importance of this festival for all Indians around the world.
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