Most of us know all about Pongal, why it is celebrated and how it is celebrated, but did you know that the rituals are very different in each family? There are differences (some major) in how my Mom celebrates as well as how we (in my Pugundha veedu) celebrate…thought will document here what all we do…my husband’s family hails from Kalkulam, a little hamlet near Mathuranthakam. Forefathers were typically farmers so this festival is the biggest and the most elaborate festival of the year.
I remember the “Pongal tension”, the high energy days preceding Pongal usually sets in by the 10th of January. Labour from our village (one or two men) usually come and stay with us to clean the house. My mother in law, Mrs Charumathy Shanmugham, very well known for her meticulous cleaning skills as well as keeping her house spic and span with everything in its place all covered with specially created cloth covers (the grinder, the mixi, the Two in One tape recorder (obsolete now), etc. ) Nowadays, this intense high energy cleaning is not there in my house, as cleaning has become a “throughout the year” affair…More so because no labour is available from our village, and the daily helper who walks in is always in a hurry, but bless her never says NO to my requests for little acts of periodical cleaning.
For Bhogi, the house which by then is thoroughly cleaned and shining, is all set. Elaborate kolams decorate the vaasal/foyer. With or without rangoli colours. The dining area is filled with special vegetables for cooking for the next two days. In the 1980s we used to live in an independent house in West CIT Nagar and the cutting of vegetables will begin at 5 pm on Bhogi evening. We used to cook a lot so to save time the following day, this ritual will begin. The live in maid, my mother in law, Bagyam Paati (Athai Paati) who was in her 80s but energetic and very adept at chores and me used to start the chopping. After this the kitchen will be cleaned thoroughly and clothes which all of us have to wear the following day will be washed and dried in a separate line which none should touch. The next day we have to remove the clothes using a stick and then take it to the bathroom and only touch them to wear after the ceremonial oil bath.
Waking up at dawn the following day, after bath, wearing the clothes from that separate line, the cooking will begin. The menu will always be:
Pidi Karanai Kaara Kuzhambu with an aromatic roasted powder made especially for this. Using the Sambar Podi which is a staple in our homes, is a big no no. Cutting this Pidi Karanai is an art. If you don’t apply enough oil on your hands, the itching will remain till after Pongal 🙂
Other items in the Pongal Menu: Raw Banana Roast, Sweet Potato Roast, Malabar Yam Roast, Avarakkai Coconut Poriyal, Parangikkai Kootu, Thayir Pachadi with little vadais dunked, Medhu Vadai and of course the Sakkara Pongal. Rasam and curd too, but never kept for Naivedyam.
On Pongal Day, we pray to our Sumangalis (the women who pass away before their husbands do) of the family. Those days they used to have a holy box where the Mangalsutra/Thaali was stored. This box is a super holy one and should never be touched without a head bath. The sari which is chosen for the Sumangalis (Only One) should never have black in it. Back in the olden days, this sari along with the Thaali/Mangalsutra will be kept back in the box and taken out only during the next Pongal. The lady of the house will wear it during the Pongal Pooja. These days, that custom has changed. I wear this sari kept for the Sumangalis of the family that evening itself.
The Holy Box with the Thaalis of the Sumangalis of the family and the pongal Sari
The Sumangali is represented by a yellow chariot. Back in the olden times a chariot used to be drawn on a huge plank of cement stone made black by rubbing some leaves on it, taken out only during Pongal. The chariot should be yellow in colour.
It was Bagyam Paati’s task every Pongal to draw this while my Mother-in-law and me labored in the kitchen making all those specialty dishes. A red chariot (made out of powdered brick) was drawn in the backyard for the Sun worship.
The Pongal Pot (which is a bronze one) which is adorned by a yellow thread with a piece of turmeric as well as pieces of the raw banana, Yam and sweet potato with the three strips of Vibhuti and Kungumam on all sides.
The Pongal Pot decorated, containing the Sakkara Pongal
The Pongal Pot is kept on the Gas stove (used to be a traditional Log fire those days) on the auspicious time which is given on all daily sheet calendars. Rice is added to the milk and when it boils over the entire family crowds around to shout, “Pongalo Pongal” The milk is supposed to boil over and splash on the stove..symbolic of abundance, the cup of joy. The lamps also wear the special thaali on Pongal day.
For the Naivedyam, traditions differ from house to house. For us it’s just one banana leaf. All the items are brought in, in the same dish it was cooked and placed on the leaf. Those days, the Pooja inside the house as well as for the Sun God (in the backyard) will be simultaneous. Bagyam Paati used to do outside, while we performed inside. But not anymore. We complete the Pooja for the Sumangalis inside and then move outside to pray to the Sun God.
One banana leaf is placed outside for the Sun God. On a little stool/medai two pillayars are made out of hand using powdered turmeric. Those days this pillayar used to be out of cowdung. In front of the Turmeric pillayars the red chariot kolam will be drawn. Two sugarcanes will be placed on either side and on the banana leaf a mixture of vegetables, Sakkara Pongal and vadai will be served in 14 portions. 7 on each side of the leaf. Representing the 7 horses of the Sun God. (I think…coz none explained why its 7 plus 7) Apart from the freshly cooked feast, we must also offer Banana fruits, betel leaf and coconut for both the inside and outside pooja.
After feeding the crow which is customary on all festivals (the crows are much in demand on festive days :)) we all sit down to eat the spread, much awaited especially by the children and men folk. The women just want to finish all the chores and rest!
After the feast, the vegetables except the Poriyal and Kootu are mixed together to make the Ericha Curry/Sunda Kuzhambu. This dish is a sought after very tasty dish and distributed to friends and family as well. A little bit of jaggery is added to the mixture and garnished with Vengaya Vadavam (this is usually homemade, also available in stores like Ambika Appalam). Dinner usually is Dosai with this Sunda Kuzhambu.
The Holy Box minus the sari is taken with reverence to the designated spot after a deepa aradhanai. I wear the sari in the evening.
The next day on Maatu Pongal, we pray to Mariamman. A white chariot is drawn and the menu interestingly includes onion too. (Other festival days it’s always no onion, no garlic fare) A sambar, a rasam, a dry curry and any kootu along with Drumstick keerai Poriyal is the menu for the day after Pongal. And, Pidi Kozhukattai. It is made out of grainy powdered rice, jaggery, coconut and a dash of sesame seeds. 9 lamps are made out of the kozhukattai dough.
For the Naivedyam, a pot with neem leaves is placed in front of the white Chariot representing the goddess Mariamman and three banana leaves with the tips facing God. The food is served on the leaf unlike on Pongal day where it is placed on the leaf in vessels. The nine Kozhukattai lamps are lit with a little ghee and wick. The middle one is for the cow. The one in the side is for the Dhobi and the third one is for the man of the house. These days, cannot find the Dhobi so both the leaves go to the cow (My helper Aruna will take over this cow feeding)
To save the hassle of drawing these chariots each Pongal my artist mother with the guidance of my relative (Mrs Thilagavathy) has drawn these yellow and white chariots on a wooden plank. So we just take this plank on Pongal Day, adorn it with Sandalwood paste and Turmeric and place it back in storage after the festival.
The Pongal is now made in a pressure cooker but transferred to a bronze pot for the Naivedyam. The rest of the customs are pretty much followed except for the quantity as we are just two of us now to eat!
Hindu festivals especially Pongal are a galore of rituals and each and everything is symbolic, but somehow I don’t feel like cutting down the elaborate menu or the rituals. When done right like how our forefathers did, things will go well for the rest of the year is my belief. So it will continue! The only difference is I am determined that any festival celebrated should be sans the tension and sans the “Oh wish this is over” attitude. So cooking is done with devotionals like Thevaram and Thirupugazh pervading the house, via our Bluetooth speaker, the music I feel somehow gets permeated in the food too thus making the prasadam more divine.
Beautifully written Meku! You may be the last of a generation that believes in taking the time to honour these saandror kaalathu traditions. Going forward it will get rarer and rarer.
Very true it will surely help a future scholar for research on such rituals from a long ago era.
Loved the concluding words about the music permeating the food making the prasadham divine. I truly believe in that while I cook even on ordinary days. Except mostly I am doing the singing as well.😄
Super narration meghu with pics.dont worry skanda will carryon this tradition I bet.
In my husband’s side we pray to mariamman on bogi evening with thullu maavu which has neem leaves in rice powder n jaggery.
Nice reading emoting a festive feeling
Excellant Narration of the total traditions followed for Pongal…I could relate the same with the traditions followed in our maternal grandma’s village.
Fantastic narration
Enjoyed reading the Pongal write up Meghalai. I was relating it to the elaborate customs followed by my tribe, the Kodavas (in Coorg) during Puttari , our harvest festival. Until my in-laws were there, the heritage vessels, the food articles that had to be prepared using rice, tubers, etc; the way the articles had to be carried, the paats(ballads), the clothing, jewelry that had to be worn,etc were adhered to. With my generation, we came to our ancestral home during festivals and followed as many practices as we could but missed the precursors to the festivals. After years, now we are getting back to following the paddathis (customs) that were meaningfully listed and followed by the previous generation. It’s not easy but the satisfaction when we can follow the paddathis makes it really worth the effort. So many more paddathis still need to be added to what we do and I’m sure it’ll take time.. but will be worth it. Your article has inspired me to follow the rich, traditional ancestral practices of my Kodava tribe, Meghalai.
Made a vivid description of the entire celebration with colourful photography and mouth-watering dishes. Nice chronicles for future generations.
Beautifully explained Megu. We do all this at home. I literally relived the pongal days in our village . Thanks a lot.
Relived the celebration of the words today on this Pongal day..what a culture and system we belong to is reflected in this narrative of the most highest of many festivals we have in our thondai mandalam
Thanks ka
wow ! This was a mesmerising read . I want to taste the Ericha Curry and Drumstick poriyal ! yumm !
The narration of the rituals was amazing to know . how we wish we all can live through this in reality some pongal day !
You can. Just visit us in 2026 for pongal celebrations.