Tamil festival
Pongal — பொங்கல்
poṅkal
January 14–17 · the Tamil harvest festival
Pongal is Tamil Nadu's harvest festival. Over four days families thank the sun, the earth and the cattle that work the land. The dish "pongal" is boiled until it overflows the pot — a symbol of abundance.
Greetings in Tamil
பொங்கல் வாழ்த்துக்கள்
poṅkal vāḻttukkaḷ
"Happy Pongal!"
universal
இனிய பொங்கல் நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்
iniya poṅkal nalvāḻttukkaḷ
"Sweet Pongal greetings"
formal
Customs & traditions
- ✦Boiling rice with milk and jaggery in a new clay pot until it overflows
- ✦Drawing intricate kolam at the entrance
- ✦Mattu Pongal — honouring cattle on day three
- ✦Kaanum Pongal — family visits on day four
Traditional foods
சக்கரை பொங்கல்
cakkarai poṅkal
Sweet jaggery pongal
வெண் பொங்கல்
veṇ poṅkal
Savoury rice-lentil pongal
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