Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Pongal for four days in Tamil Nadu, it’s neighbouring states and by Tamil diaspora. It is observed at the start of the month, Thai in the Tamil solar calendar. This is one of the few festivals which falls about the same date every year (January 14). The festival marks the end of winter solstice, and the start of the sun's six-month-long journey northwards when the sun enters the zodiac Makara (Capricorn).
Pongal means “spilling over” and it is named after the tradition of boiling freshly-harvested rice in a new clay pot along with milk and jaggery until it starts overflowing. The Pongal call is enquiring as to whether the pot has boiled over.
Pongal (a dish) consisting of rice, milk, and jaggery with ghee, sugar, raisins, and cashews is served first to Sun God, as gratitude for an excellent harvest. It is later served on banana leaves and fed to the community. Pongal is cooked at sunrise, and in an open space.
Farmers observe this thanks giving celebration, as gratitude to sun god and nature. They also give a sumptuous treat to cows, bullocks and other cattle.
On the first day of Pongal ‘Bogi Pandigai, people clean their homes, discard unused and redundant items, and light a bonfire. The second day of festivities, or Thai Pongal, is considered the most important day coinciding with Makar Sankranti. Thai Pongal is followed by Mattu Pongal, which is then followed by Kaanum Pongal.
Festive celebrations include decorating cows and their horns, ritual bathing and processions. It is traditionally an occasion for decorating rice-powder based kolam artworks, offering prayers at home, in temples, getting together with family and friends, and exchanging gifts to renew social bonds of solidarity.
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