Pongal
thai pongal 2016 is a festival celebrated all over Tamil nadu. It is a harvest festival, where the farmers express their thanks giving to the elements responsible for a bumper harvest.
Pongal is a four day celebration.
The first day of the festival is called Bhogi, where old and unused and unneeded things are burnt away.
Pongal is celebrated on the first day of the Thai month, so it is also called Thai Pongal.
In Tamilnadu, Pongal is even more significant than Deepavali. On the day of Pongal, rice and pulses are cooked in milk and offered to the Sun God and the family deity, as a sign of reverence.
On the Mattu Pongal day, the day which is the day of thanks giving for the bullock and the cow who are responsible for their livelihood.
Kaanum Pongal is the day when the family visits their friends and relatives, offering sweetmeats and sharing among themselves. They also visit near by temples and picnic spots. The beaches and other public places are extremely crowded during this time.