Harvest Festival: Pongal, Bihu and Lohri

From age old days world wide festivals are associated with good harvesting. India is no exception; festivals are form of expression of joy, excitement and inner feeling of the society. In January in India three harvest festivals are celebrated. They are Pongal in South India, Bihu in Assam and Lohri in Punjab.

Pongal - Harvest festival (South India)

In early times when society was depended upon Agriculture , soon after the Rabi Crops the farmer used sell his production and celebrated in joy with his family and friends . Big land lords distributed new clothing, fresh and a new grain among his workers and the whole village jumped in a celebrating mood, this was the main aim of such harvest festivals. They decorated their animals, purchased new cloth for themselves as well as for their family. Prepared good eatables consumed by their family and they distributed to their neighbors too.

Entire community comes in merry making mood, danced, drank, dressed in new attire, sweets and delicious food stuffs were made available in the market place. For three days the merry making used to continue, houses were decorated, fresh painting, repairs used to be under taken.

In ancient times oxen's were decorated and taken in procession in the entire community as a gesture of merry making and the children jumped with ecstasy.

Pongal is celebrated for three days, day one called bhogi from the crack of dawn the ceremony starts with bonfire and the member of the family assemble around the fire and sweets are distributed and coconut is placed in the flames . Children and women wear new out fits, favorite south India delicacy like chakarapongali, Dahi Bada, Chaddi, Pyasi, and Masorepak are prepared and eaten.

Ladies distribute Haldi and Kunkum power to their neighbors, and spread the feeling of Love, merriment, joy in the atmosphere and in entire community.