Pongal: How do you celebrate?

The only thing I knew about "Pongal" before I married my Tamilian husband was that it was a delicious sticky rice dish. I was treated to some as a teenager while visiting an Aunty's home in Southern India and I must admit, I probably ate more than I should have!

Pongal is a 4 day Harvest Festival celebrated in mid January, in Tamil Nadu and other South Indian states. It's a wonderful way of marking a season of renewal with several rituals symbolic of "out with the old, in with the new." Here is a summary of each day:

Day 1: Bhogi - Get rid of useless household items

Day 2: Thai Pongal - Cook and serve sakkarai (sweet) pongal 

Day 3: Maddu Pongal - Celebrate cows 

Day 4: Kannum Pongal - Family reunions (visit and "see" your family)

Here are some kid-friendly resources you can share with your family, to help them learn more about Pongal. 

• A basic overview of Pongal (2 mins, English with Tamil words)
• Song about Pongal for kids, made by Magic Box Animation (90s, Tamil with English subtitles) 
• The mythological story of Pongal by Professor Brenda Beck (6 mins, English with Tamil words)
• Why are Pongal, Lohri and Makar Sankranti on the same day? Jalebi street episode  (5 mins, English)

Picture Books: 

Kelir Books Pongal Bundle

Nithila's Pongal: 

Newly released Paperback 2023! Click on the image to buy on Amazon. 

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