Thai Pongal

Pongal is a harvest festival which is observed by people of Tamil Nadu. Pongal is a four days festival and the most important day of Pongal is known as Thai Pongal. Thai Pongal which is the second day of the four days festivity is also celebrated as Makar Sankranti in North Indian states when people take holy dip in river Ganges. It is the day when Sun enters the Makara Rasi. The name has been derived from the word Sankramana in Sanskrit, meaning “commencement of movement”. Sankranti means transit of Sun from one zodiac sign to other.

Thai Pongal is the first day of Thai month according to Tamil Solar Calendar. Thai is the tenth solar month in Tamil Calendar. Thai month is known as Makar in other Hindu calendars. It usually falls in the middle of January.

Significance of Pongal

The name of the festival is derived from the meaning of the Tamil word, Pongal – ‘to boil over’ or ‘over flowing’ which signifies ‘abundance and prosperity’. Agriculture was the only major activity in those days unlike the industrial and IT revolution experienced today. The riches gained from good harvest formed the economic prosperity and affluence in the society. Hence the whole festival is all about ‘thanks giving’ to Sun-god. The Sun is worshipped as the embodiment and source of Life-Force, without which we could not be. Thai Pongal day is celebrated by boiling freshly harvested rice with fresh milk and jaggery in a new clay pot. While boiling the concoction, people let the milk spill over the pot as an auspicious sign of material abundance and prosperity. Freshly cooked Pongal is first offered to the Sun God as a gratitude for good harvesting. Symbolically the first harvest is offered to the Almighty – and that is Pongal. To toil was his task, his duty, but the fruit is now offered to the Almighty – that is the spirit of Karma Yoga.

This overflowing of sweetness represents the Prema (Divine Love) that should overflow from our hearts towards all of Creation. The steam rising from the rice, jaggery, cardamom and other spices being boiled in so many households and mixed with the smoke from the firewood traditionally used, actually creates a special medicinal combination that has a very beneficial effect on the atmosphere. The collective observance of this and similar practices has a positive effect on both the ‘mental environment’, as well as the weather, climate and harmony of Nature in general. This is just one aspect of the subtle wisdom underlying these simple, elegant customs. The time when humankind’s love for nature and nature’s love for humankind overflow—that is Pongal. Human beings make nature happy by having good thoughts and doing good actions. Nature blesses humankind with a bountiful harvest. When the universal mind and the individual mind overflow and become one—that is what Pongal is symbol of. Through this festival, the Creation is recognized as the miraculous Divine blessing it truly is.

Spiritual Significance of Pongal

On the day of Makar Sankranti, from sunrise to sunset, the environment has more chaitanya (Divine conscious-ness); hence those doing spiritual practice can benefit from this chaitanya. To the spiritual aspirants this day has a special significance. The six-month period during which the sun travels northwards is highly favorable to them in their march towards the goal of life. It is as though they are flowing easily with the current towards the Lord. The Devas and Rishis rejoice at the advent of the new season, and readily come to the aid of the aspirant.

Celebrations at the time of the winter solstice have been universal in almost every culture on the planet. It is seen as the rising of the new sun. In ancient Rome, this was celebrated as Saturnalia, which means it was about Saturn, the God of agriculture and food. The ancient Egyptians always saw that during this month, the line between the physical and the spiritual is thin, or the two are brought close together. This is the time to do spiritual processes and sadhana. This is the time to fast. This is the time to prepare for a new beginning.

In Hinduism, the Sun signifies light (knowledge, spirituality, and wisdom), unity, equality and true selflessness, the ideals of Karma Yoga. Sun goes on bestowing on us life, health & vitality without expecting any reward. Thus Makara Sankranti signifies shunning the darkness of delusion and allowing the light within shine brighter. It identifies a period of enlightenment, peace, prosperity and happiness after a period of darkness, ignorance and viciousness with immense sorrow. The message being ‘one should gradually begin to grow in purity, wisdom, and knowledge, as the sun does from this day and perform ones duties without expectations of rewards.’

Makar Sankranti Offering

The period from Makar Sankranti to Rathsaptami is an auspicious period. Any donation and meritorious deeds in this period prove more fruitful.