Ponggal (Harvest Festival)

Ponggal is a harvest festival, largely celebrated by the Sounth Indian rice farmers. The festival lasts for 4 days. Traditionally, the harvest is a time when the farmers get their cash after selling their produce. So, the festival starts with:

Day 1 (Boghi/Cleaning)

This is the day to clean the house thoroughly. Any unwanted things must be discarded, the house can be given a new coat of paint and preparation will be made for the celebration next day.

Day 2 (Ponggal/ Harvest Festival)

The highlight of the day is the boiling of milk in earthern pot over wooden fire. Today this has been replaced with boiling milk over gas/electric stoves. Once milk boils over, the ladies will make auspicious sounds to welcome the good fortune of the harvest. Rice and brown sugar can be added to the milk to make sweet rice, which can then be served to the guests.

Day 3 (Mathu Ponggal / Cow Festival)

This day is to celebrate the cows and bulls that have been very helpful in the farming. Traditionally, bulls were used for ploughing and cows give milk, an essential item in an Indian diet.

Day 3 (Kanni Ponngal / Maiden's Celebration or Kanum Ponggal / Visiting Day)

There are 2 versions of this day. One says that this is the day a family makes known to the villages that they have a marriageable girl at home and that any marriage proposals are welcomed. The ladies will usually be dressed beautifully, adorned with flowers and jewelleries on this day.

The other version says that on this day, relatives and friends visit each other and shower one another with gifts. This also makes sense as the farmers are cash rich after the harvest.

My Ponggal was a modest affair. I boiled milk over my gas stove after work and made an attempt at sweet rice. We then had dinner at my friend's place. Ponggalo Ponggal!!!