Makara Sankranti/ Pongal (Jan-Feb)

Makara Sankranti/Pongal

Makara  Sankranti is the day when the Sun begins its transit away from the Tropic of Capricorn towards the northern hemisphere. Most festivals follow the Lunar calender (Chandramana) but the Makara Sankranthi festival follows the Solar calender (Souramana) and hence always falls on January 14 (plus or minus one day) every year.  This is a Harvest festival and is commonly known as Pongal, Maghi, Lodi in different regions. This day denotes the beginning of Uttarayana Punyakala. The festival is celebrated over 3 days.

 

Bhogi



The last day of Marghazhi month is celebrated as Bhogi. We celebrate the wedding of Sri Andal and Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam.. The festivities starts with taking early morning bath (abhyanjanam), wearing new clothes and ornaments, decorating the house with rangoli and toranas (made of mango leaves), prepare sweet polis/obbatu and puliyogarae etc.

 

Makara Sankranti /Makara Sankaramana/Pongal

Ven Pongal and Sakkarae Pongal

The day after Boghi or the first day of the solar month Tai is celebrated as Makara Sankranti. A new pot ( if not a clean pot) is smeared with a band of calcium (chunam) and decorated with alternating dots of haladi and kumkum. A yellow (cotton thread smeared in turmeric) thread with a fresh turmeric bulb knotted into in, is also tied around the pot.  Milk is allowed to boil over and the direction of the over flow signifies abundance and prosperity for regions in that direction.  In the same pot, sweet pongal is prepared.

Being the harvest season, it is customary in many households to prepare Sankranti yellu, sakkarae acchu. In the evening, ladies and young girls dress up in new clothes and fine jewelary and vist several households bearing sankranti yellu gifts along with sakkarae acchu jaggery, sugarcane etc.

Sankranti Yellu Gifting

Sankranti Goodies

(Also see recipesforveggies.blogspot.com/search/label/Super Speciality )

It is also common practice to do arathi to young children in the household in the late evening. A measuring jar is filled with some change, sankranti yellu and berries and is poured on the children's heads as a fun activity. In villages cows are bathed and decorated with kum kum, garlands, bells, their toes and horns painted and are worshipped. They are fed with a special meal.. Bonfire is lit across streets, cows and other animals along with everyone else present jump over the fire.

Uttarayana Punyakala

Makara Sankranthi marks the end of winter and the transit of the Sun towards the northern hemisphere has begun.

 

Kanu

Next day after Makara Sankranti is celebrated as Kanu. The daughter's of the family gather in their paternal home.(if not possible in their own homes). The daughters pray for the well being of all animals, birds,  households they grew up in and households they have entered. Parents/brothers gift their daughters/sisters with money, haladi, kum kum tamboola , saree,  fresh turmeric bulbs ....whatever they can afford.

Kanu Worship

For keeping Kanu, cooled rice ( maybe made previous day) is used. Pinch of halad, kum kum, cooked beans (avarae kai), sugarcane pieces, turmeric bulbs are are all mixed into a large ball and a few golf ball sized balls.  Place some rangoli (outside, if cold do it indoors) and an environmentally friendly plate or a large banana leaf/paper. Arathi with lamps are prepared ahead of thime. Place each golf sized ball n east, west, north south direction on the plate praying for the well being of all creatures big and small as follows:

Kannak Pidichae Vacche.....................(placing  rice ball for the calves)

Kakaku  Pidichae Vacche....................(placing rice ball for the crows)

Parandam Parand Vayutum...................(all in the houshold we came from, live well)

Pukkam Pugund Vayutum......................(all in the household we went into, live well)

Kanu is worshipped with haladi kum kum, beetle leaves, beetle nut, fruits and by prostrating. Lamps are lit and arathi is also offered to Kanu. It is also common to get blessing from elders in the household.. Usually at least 5 types of mixed rice are made on this day.