Uttarayana/Makar Sankranti & Pongal

Kite-Flying & Thanksgiving Festival of India - The Most Important Harvest Festival Of India

 Importance of Makar Sankranti /   Uttarayana -   Kite-Flying

Festival  

Makar Sankranti is an important ‘Thanksgiving’ festival of India. In Tamil Nadu it is celebrated as Pongal. Makar Sankranti signifies a bountiful   harvest   and flourishing of wealth. People believe that by thanking god they are able remain happy and lead healthy life and

reap success throughout the year.

The day on which sun enters the   zodiac sign   called Capricorn (Makara Rasi or Zodiac sign) is considered as an auspicious day. The period from

Makarsankrant (the passage of the sun into the zodiac sign of Capricorn) to Karkasankrant is called the Uttarayan. In Sanskrit   the word   ‘Sankranti’

means   transition. On   this day   sun begins its northward   movementand the Hindu almanacs call this northward transition of the sun as Uttarayana patha. The day also coincides with the commencement of the Tamil month Thai. The

day usually falls on 14th January every year. Of course this is the only festival that adapts solar (Hindu)   calendar. The other festival dates are determined

according to lunar calendar. It is believed that holy dip in perennial rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, and Kaveri will have huge significance. The Great Kumbh-

Mela will be held once in every 12 years on this holy day at Prayag.

  Different Names in Different Regions

It is celebrated all over India as well as in few South East Asian Countries with different names. In Uttar Pradesh, Sankranti is

celebrated with   the nameKhichiri’. In Himachal Pradesh and Punjab it is called Lohri. In Assam it is known as Bhogali Bihu. In West Bengal and Orissa it is simply celebrated as Makar Sankranti. It is still more simply called Sankranti in Bihar, Karnataka and Kerala. In Gujarat

and Rajasthan the festival is named as Uttarayan. The festival is also celebrated with different names in different nations e.g., Nepal (Maghe sankranti), Thailand (Songkran), Laos (Pi Mao Lao) and

Myanmar (Thingyan) (ref: Wikipedia) 

Three Days FestivalPongal is a three days festival in Tamil Nadu. The first day is called Bhogi Pandigai. The second day is called Great Pongal or Makara

Sankranti. The third is called Maatu Pongal (thanking the livestock especially cow).

 The Word and Meanings

 Pongal is a Tamil word which signifies the festival as well as the

name of the main dish prepared using the newly harvested rice, dal, jaggery and milk. The fruits and vegetables are also obtained fresh

from farm. Pongal means boiling.

 

How Preparations Made for Pongal Festival ?

The month Thai is considered as an auspicious month by Tamils. It is believed that dawn of the Tamil month Thai will mitigate all miseries. People will discard all old things and replace with new things.   They

will   clean whitewash their house. They also decorate the house with kolams (Rangoli). They will purchase new dresses, jewelry and

utensils. They will also prepare sweets. The farmers will offer fresh vegetables and fruits to their near and dear. The villages in Tamil

Nadu also consider this as a communal festival. The temples will also get new facelift. Womenfolk decorate the temple premises with

kolam, mango and coconut leaf festoons. The married daughters will receive harvested crops, vegetables, fruits, coconuts, utensils and money from their parents. Young girls decorate themselves with

henna and share with   friends and relatives. Women and young girls wear new clothes, wear golden and silver ornaments, volunteer.

 

How Pongal Festival celebrated?

The Sankranti or Pongal day is dedicated to Lord Sun, the savior of this world with His golden rays. In every household the pongal is

cooked in the early morning at their front yard. Fresh earthen pots are fetched and decorated with kolam (drawing lines and curves with

rice flour to beautify). For cooking they will use traditional wooden log flame. Fresh milk and water are allowed to boil and the froth will come out of the pot. It is believed as an auspicious sign. After this rice will be added and allowed to cook. Following this powdered jaggery and cardamom powder will be added. Now ghee will be

added and the ingredients will be stirred well. At the end the dish will be decorated with ghee roasted cashew and raisin.

It is customary to tie the turmeric plant at the neck of the pot. They will make a tripod using sugarcane stems (with leaves) tied at the top. The pongal pots will be placed under this tripod. They will be a small pooja and prayer. They will rejoice their festival by shouting ‘Pongal –O – Pongal’. They will feed all housemaids, farm servants,

workers, dobhis, barbers and every one come to their house.

 

How Maatu Pongal Celebrated?

The third day of the Pongal festival is devoted to cows and bulls. The

Hindus always worship cow as Gomatha. It is a merry making festival. The cows and bulls will be bathed in water. The horns are

shaved and painted. The neck bells are tied. The forehead will have the sandal and kumkum. They will also prepare pongal. Offer prayer to god. They will feed the animal with pongal, plantain, greens etc.,

 

Significance of Jallikatu (Tamil Bull Fight)?

In South Tamil Nadu Jallikatu (Tamil Bull Fight) is a sport held on this day in prominent villages like Alanganallur and Thammampatti. This sport is considered as showing courage and valor. The raging bulls

will be driven from an enclosure towards the youths. The youths are determined to tame the bull and take the   prize money   or gold from the neck strap of the cow. The wild animal will be frightened by the noisy music bands and will jump on the youths and try to escape

from them. If the animal is disturbed or prevented, it will injure the youths. In most of the occasions people will get their stomach punctured by the sharp horns of the bulls. However the culture activists and village folks are supporting jallikatu. But animal

sympathizers are against jallikatu. Year by year the issue is debated and the sports also held every year without fail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here...colorful Kites in shop shelves...

 

 

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Its time to bid adieu to winters; welcome the wonderful Spring and crop harvesting. With different names – Makar Sankranti (Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Uttarayan in Gujarat, Sukarat in Madhya Pradesh and Bihu in the North-East…) is celebrated all over India.

 Makar Sankranti   is a harvest festival, marking the end of a bitterly cold winter and it ushers in spring. It is probably the only Indian festival to fall on the same date every year (between 13th- 15th January). It also has an astrological significance since it is around this time that the earth begins its gradual journey of moving towards the Sun. It is considered an extremely auspicious period (Uttarayan) by the Hindus and is perhaps the only Hindu solar festival. Sweets made of til (sesame seeds) are traditionally eaten and distributed at Makar Sankranti.

 

 While Andhra knows it as Makar Sankrantanam, Nepal calls it Maghe Sankranti and Kashmiris celebrate it as Shishur Saenkraat.

 

 

The best part about any Indian festival is sharing wishes with family and friends. Take your pick from this season’s greetings…

 Makar Sankranti wishes

 Milao gur mein til

Udao patang, kaato dor

Khush kar do har dil

Makar Sankranti ka mach gaya shor!

Makar Sankranti ki Badhai!

 Makar Sankranti ka paigham 

Mithai se mithi boli, mithi zubaan

Surya devta ko karo pranaam

Udao patang bharo oonchee udaan

Makar Sankranti ki Shubhkamnayein!

 

 1st Day

 

 2nd Day  of Pongal , time to decorate and venerate cattle, since they form the pillars of the agrarian fabric.

 

 

3rd Day of Pongal , dedicated to the worship of the Sun God, invoking his blessings and benevolence for the coming year and a bountiful harvest.

 May Your joys abound and overflow

May your home be filled with plenty

Let the sweetness in your life grow

This Pongal we wish you prosperity!

Happy Pongal!

    Sankranthi means Transition, yes, Sure a positive transition to all Pensioners ,achieving what they wanted to achieve all these Years & Decades

       MAKARA  signifies bountiful harvest:Sure again a bonanza so richly deserved by all pensioners.

      DAWN of THAI Month will mitigate all miseries,enough we pensioners have sufferred & experienced all through,with so many dying too,

  Sankaranthi dedicated to Lord Sun,Saviour of this World with His Golden Rays,it is all through--

  PONGAL---------O-------PONGAL  will rent the air ,so too

   VICTORY----------0------VICTORY , a Thumping Trumpet in the offing,

      Let 2018 Sankaranthi atleast pave the way &yield positive & favourable SC Bench order of twin benefits with clarity & a final consummation of devoted,dedicated efforts & overall, an unusual sense of patience, perseverance & endurance displayed by pensioners fraternity,in spite of some hiccups,& finally & hopefully a turnaround to benefit pensioners with a sense of optimism ,realism & pragmatism

   Greetings & warm regards,

      R.B.KISHORE

     VP,AIRIEF