WELCOMING the first day of the Tamil month of Thai, salutations to signify new beginnings could be seen visible in many Tamil-speaking households across Malaysia.
One of which is The Vibes’ very own head of graphic design, Kogulanath Ayappan’s family home in Taman Kinrara, Puchong.
Rising as early as 5am to observe the annual Ponggal celebrations, the 34-year-old and his kin prepped for pooja (worship) together to commemorate the beginning of the harvest festival.
Beautiful kolams were created in front of the house and pots along with milk, rice, jaggery and other dish offerings were set.
It was indeed a busy yet peaceful morning for the Ayappan household where the devotion to carry on traditional values remained firm. Even Kogulanath’s 2-year-old son, the youngest among the group, was not left out during the thanksgiving activity.
“Here, we observe it across three-days with the initial celebrations starting today known as the Surya Ponggal where we show our appreciation to the Sun god (and his consorts),” shared Kogulanath.
“The ritual starts with the boiling of milk until it overflows and spills, and we do this exactly when the sun rises.
“When the milk overflows and spills out of the pot, everyone will shout out together ‘Ponggalo Ponggal!’, which literally means ‘boil milk boil’,” he noted, adding that it was also a symbol of abundance and prosperity.
“Why my family woke up early is so that we would be on time (for sunrise). However, the timing is not that strict because it is also common to do it in the evenings depending on the available time a person has to celebrate,” he added.
According to Kogulanath, the ceremony captures the essence of the word Ponggal which means to boil or overflow. The Sun God is offered this dessert before it is served to the family members on banana leaves.
“Devotees can commemorate it individually. We do not necessarily have to be together with family members but the experience is of course different when you don’t celebrate it together with loved ones,” he highlighted.
“Having elderlies (our parents) together during the celebration is great because we can gain their blessings once the procedures are done during this special occasion."
Ponggal around the world
In Tamil Nadu, India, Ponggal is more celebrated than Deepavali for its significance, where communities in the rural outskirts (commonly farmers) mark the occasion with livelier activities. The Jallikattu, a bull taming event, could be seen in certain villages where competitions were held to identify which tamer could hold on to the hump of the bull the longest. It’s a highly spirited event which could take up to several days before a winner is announced.
Another interesting fact about the Ponggal festival (celebrated by devotees worldwide) is the ritual conducted on the eve of the festival known as ‘Bhogi Day’. Those celebrating would clean their homes thoroughly and in the evening, all unwanted goods are lit in a bonfire. However, not much of this is done in urban areas due to restrictions on open burning.
The second day of Ponggal is called Mattu Ponggal. It is observed to offer thanks to the cows and buffaloes, as they are used to plough the lands, milk and (in some localities) as transportation. This occasion is also seen to give appreciation to all animals in general.
Closing the festivities would be the Kaanum Ponggal and Kanni Ponggal, each having their own method of celebration.
‘Kaanum’ is commonly referred to spending time together with family members and friends as they gather to have a good time. This is more about spending quality time. Today, this type of occasion is combined together on the first day.
‘Kanni’ on the other hand is a celebration of fertility where (female) virgins would usually observe the occasion with prayers. – The Vibes, January 22, 2022
*The Vibes wishes a wonderful Ponggal celebration to those celebrating!
