பொங்கல் வாழ்த்துகள் - Harvest Festival

பொங்கல் வாழ்த்துகள்

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Greetings to friends and families.  Ponggal is the celebration of harvest mainly for those in agricultural - a culture followed closely by Hindus in Malaysia..it's sort of thanksgiving in appreciation of a good harvest.

It is normally celebrated over 3days in Tamil Nadu - the first day being for the harvest, the second day in honour of the cows who helped in the field and the third day is for young ladies/teenagers.  Why ladies- it is an avenue back then for them to gather at riverside and celebrate and it is time for gents to look around for prospective bride....now fancy that....

Ponggal literally means boil over - so normally in new earthern pot which is decorated and wrapped around tumeric leaves with its tumeric and ginger leaves with ginger intact. 

So what is happen is to let the milk boil over and as it is boiling over the ladies of the house says Ponggolo Ponggal to usher the Ponggal. 

After which rice is added to the boiled milk and cooked till it is soft and congee like adding palm sugar and brown sugar and cashnews and raisins roasted over ghee.... emm simply yummy - and I miss my mums ponggal rice and super duper delicious feast which she normally have on ponggal day....This are then offered for prayers.

Picture below is courtesy of my youngest sister's ponggal celebration....Gowri thank you very much for the lovely picture....