In this article, you will read essay on Pongal Festival for students and children. It includes date, importance, history, the celebration of four days, and 10 lines on Pongal.
Essay on Pongal Festival for Students and Children in 1000 Words
In Pongal, people celebrate with full of happiness and wealth. Pongal is mostly known as a farmers’ festival. People celebrate the Pongal festival in South India.
This festival is celebrated for four days. This four-day festival is dedicated to the farmers who are related to agriculture.
The offerings made on the day of the Pongal festival to the Lord Sun God are called Pongal, hence the name Pongal. The celebration of Pongal made in Tamil Nadu is in the joy of harvesting crops. In particular, it is a harvest festival.
People celebrate this in the middle of January. They celebrate this festival due to their good harvest. Four days have different importance in this.
Importance of Pongal Festival
Pongal is a harvest festival that falls in the middle of January. It is the main festival of the people of Tamil Nadu. In the season people are busy celebrating the festival. Women, men, and children come to the fields to plant crops.
Here, rice is offered to God, cooked in the kitchen, passage of the house, or in an open place. It is meant to let see how much devotion people give to God. The area where the paddy takes place looks like the waves of the green sea.
While enjoying the festival, the mind of the farmer is filled with happiness. Such a scene weakens the brainy hearts of the people of Tamil Nadu.
History of Pongal Event
Pongal is an ancient festival of Tamil Nadu. On the day of the Pongal festival dedicated to greenery and prosperity, Lord Surya Dev Ji is worshiped and offered to God as a Food. The offerings which are offered to God are called Pongal. For this reason, the festival was named Pongal.
The history of Pongal came from 200 to 300 BC. People also mention this festival in Sanskrit Puranas. Some mythological stories are associated with the Pongal festival. Lord Shiva said to people that they should bath with oil every day and eat food once a month. But Basava gave the message contrary to the command of Lord Shiva.
Basava told the people that they should bath with oil one day and eat food every day. Lord Shiva was very angry with this mistake of Basava and cursed Basava. Basava was expelled from Kailash for being on earth permanently. They have to help the farmers to produce more food. In this way, this day is related to cattle.
Celebrations of Pongal festival
The festival of Pongal is celebrated not for one day but four days. This festival is considered to be one of the year-round festivals of Hinduism. The importance implies that on this day, God is thanked for the harvest season for the farmers.
Pongal is derived from the Tamil word meaning boiling. The festival is held between January to February. In this season, different types of grains are produced, such as rice, sugarcane, turmeric, etc.
But apart from this, crops that are essential for cooking in Tamil Nadu are harvested. According to the Tamil calendar, the time between January is the most critical year for Pongal.
This festival of Tamil Nadu is celebrated on 14–15 January. This festival is offering to satisfy humankind properly with the seasonal cycle. This tradition is for organizing agriculture for those who are related to agriculture.
Four Days Celebration of Pongal Festival
Pongal is a four-day festival. These four days of the Pongal festival are crucial. The first day is Bongi Pongal; the second day is Surya Pongal, the third day is Mattu Pongal and the fourth day is Kanum Pongal.
1. The First day of Pongal
The first day of Pongal is the Bhogi Pongal. On this day, people apply kumkum and swastika on the pottery in their homes. On this day, cleanliness is done in every corner of the house. Lord Indra is worshiped on the first day of the Pongal festival because Lord Indra is called the ruler of the clouds and the only showers.
It is essential to have rain if you want a good crop. Lord Indra is paid tribute to the abundance of the plant. This day is a ritual and celebration which is also known as Bhogi mantalu. Being a good crop, the farmers gladly worship Lord Indra and thank him.
Ask God to keep his blessings on him so that the prosperity of wealth and happiness remains in his home and country. On this day, the waste of the house is burnt with cow’s dung and wood. Girls dance around this fire and sing songs to God.
2. The Second Day of Pongal
The second day of Pongal is Surya Pongal. On the day of Surya Pongal, the largest member of the house makes Pongal for the enjoyment of Sun God. Pooja or false worship is performing on this day when Pongal is offered to the Sun God along with other divine objects.
Pongal is made by adding rice and water to an earthen pot. The rice cooked in this manner is called Pongal. People wear traditional nutrients and signs on Surya Pongal.
People make kollam rice on the day of Surya Pongal; it is a promising sign. The Sun God is always prayed to maintain grace over himself. An unusual ritual is also performed on this day, where the husband and wife share the pots of worship.
In villages, people celebrate the Pongal festival with the same devotion. As per the ritual, a turmeric plant is tied around the vessel in which the rice is boiled.
3. The third day of Pongal
The 3rd day of Pongal is known as Mattu Pongal. On the day of Mattu Pongal, special worship and worship of the cow is done. On this day, the cow is decorated; bells and garlands of flowers are tied around the neck. After this, people worship the cow.
The sound of the bells of the cattle attracts the villagers and the people race their animals among themselves. The cow is considered very important for the farmer. The cow gives milk and fertilizer to the farmer.
On this day, cows are fed Pongal, and apart from cows, other animals are also respected. Here, animals do support the farmer every moment. Animals help the farmer from irrigation of the crop to harvesting of the plant.
Animals support the farmer in his happiness and sorrow. That is why animals are worshiped in the Hindu religion. In the villages of Mattu Pongal, every farmer worships his bulls in the communities.
The day of Mattu Pongal has another significance. On this day, all women wish their brothers a good life. On this day, delicious sweets are made in the houses and served like that.
4. The fourth day of Pongal
Kaanum Pongal is the fourth day of Pongal. On this day all people and members live together and eat together. On this day, people wash turmeric leaves, served foods with sweets, rice, sugarcane, and betel nuts.
On this day, people take the blessings of older people and give love and gifts to the younger ones. This day is celebrated with great joy. On this day, women perform aarti for their brothers with limestone and oil and wish for their bright future.
Attractions of Pongal
Pongal festival is celebrated very joyfully in South India. On this day people decorate their homes. On this day, a battle of bulls is organized, which is quite famous.
In the night, people hold a group meal and wish each other a warm and promising year. On this day, many show their expression as gratitude towards Lord Surya. They celebrate the entire day for the crops and lights in life.
10 Lines on Pongal Festival
- Pongal is an Indian festival mainly celebrated in Tamil Nadu.
- Pongal is celebrated by farmers.
- Pongal is celebrated in the joy of good harvest in fields.
- In Pongal, people worship Lord Sun.
- Pongal is a festival of four days; Bhogi Pongal, Surya Pongal, Mattu Pongal, and Kannum Pongal.
- On Bhogi Pongal day, people apply kumkum and swastika on the pottery in their homes.
- On Surya Pongal day, the largest member of the house makes Pongal for god Sun to make him happy.
- On Mattu Pongal day, they worship the cow.
- On Kaanum Pongal day, all people and members live together and eat together.
- People wear new dresses and decorate their homes, they also make rangoli during Pongal celebration.
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