Cultural Celebration - Pongal Festival 2010

        Written by: Belinda Sunshine

If you are visiting Singapore at this time of the year, an interesting event to catch is the Pongal Festival 2010. It is happening from 9 January 2010 to 17 January 2010 in Little India on Serangoon Road. On these dates, devotees celebrate the Pongal Festival, a traditional harvest celebration originating from Southern India.

Pongal Festival rice offering

(Photo courtesy of Little India Shopkeepers & Heritage Association – LISHA)

Pongal is the only Hindu Festival that follows a solar calendar and is celebrated on the 14th of January every year. It marks the beginning of Uttarayana, the Sun’s movement northward for a 6 months period. Very significant for farmers, Pongal Festival marks the end of the harvesting season. During this period, markets are flooded with agricultural produce.


The celebrations also signify a thanksgiving festival for Hindu deities, where devotees pay respects to Lord Indra, the God of Heavens, Sun God and their cattle. In fact in Hindu temples, visitors can hear the ringing of bells, drums, clarinets and conch shell heralding the joyous occasion of Pongal. To symbolize a bountiful harvest, rice is cooked in new pots until they boil over. Some of the rituals performed in the temple include the preparation of rice, the chanting of prayers and the offering of vegetables, sugar cane and spices to the Gods. Devotees then consume the offerings to free themselves of past sins.

Preparation of offerings

                               (Photo courtesy of LISHA)

Pongal festivities go on for 4 days and are different day to day. The first day is called “Bhogi Pongal” which is celebrated within the family. On this day, old clothes and useless materials are thrown away, marking the beginning of a new life. This day is celebrated in honour of Lord Indra, the supreme ruler of clouds that give rains.

The second day, which is “Surya Pongal”, the worshipping of Surya Bhagawan (the Sun God) takes place. On this day, people celebrate by boiling fresh milk early in the morning and allowing it to boil over the vessel, a tradition that is the literal translation for Pongal. People also prepare savouries and sweets, visit each other’s homes, and exchange greetings.

Offerings of thanks to cows during Maatu Pongal

 

                                (Photo courtesy of LISHA)


The third day, “Maatu Pongal”, is meant to offer thanks to the cows and buffaloes, animals sacred in Hinduism. Cows or cattle are revered as traditionally they are used to plough the fields which yield bountiful harvest. You can see on this day, the cows are bathed, their horns polished and their bodies painted with bright colours. Multi-coloured beads, tinkling bells, sheaves of corn and flower garlands are tied around the animals’ necks.


The fourth day is known as “Kaanum Pongal”, when colourful rice is fed to the crows and birds. The feeding of the birds is usually carried out by sisters for the welfare of their brothers. This practice dates back to the old days when young men were required to go and work in the fields to feed to the family.

Viewing of cows

 

                              (Photo courtesy of LISHA)

In fact, on the first day of Pongal, Hindu homes will also prepare “sweet sticky rice” cooked in a new pot. “Pongal” means to boil over and hence the pot of rice is allowed to boil over as a sign of prosperity.


 
On the day of Pongal, people go sightseeing, shopping, feasting, etc. In Singapore, relatives and friends gather for gala lunches. Many Indian restaurants in Singapore offer special menus comprising South Indian cuisine during Pongal celebrations. Not just Indians, but various other ethnic communities in our city also participate in the festivities.

Shopping at a Pongal Festival stall

                            (Photo courtesy of LISHA)

Visitors especially can experience first-hand the carnival atmosphere of Pongal celebration. Campbell Lane in Little India will be converted into a pedestrian-only mini village during this period. Here you can browse the stalls and sample some of the festive foods, and perhaps get your hands on unique souvenirs, saris, trinkets, art and crafts daily from 2pm to midnight. (2am on weekends).


For the shutterbugs, Heritage Corner within Campbell Lane in Little India will be set up with live cows and calves for visitors to catch a glimpse and take photographs. Not forgetting that there are daily cultural performances for entertainment. Other activities to be expected are, a mass cooking demonstration, and Singapore pilgrimage tours to visit major temples in the city, during this period of celebrations.

Talk conducted for Pongal Festival tour

                                 (Photo courtesy of LISHA)

A line-up of what to expect during the Festival:-

9th January 2010 (Saturday)

7.15pm : Switch-On Ceremony, followed by Cultural Performance.

14th January 2010 (Thursday)

6pm : Pongal Distribution followed by “Theru Kuthu” (Street Performance) by foreign folk artistes.

15th January 2010 (Friday)

2.30pm : Maatu Pongal (Prayers honouring the cattle)

16th January 2010 (Saturday)

9am : Colouring Contest
4pm : Mass Pongal (30 – 50 Pongal pots cooking simultaneously) demonstration

17th January 2010 (Sunday)

10am – 12noon : The Best Decorative Cow Competition
7pm : Cultural Performance by local and foreign artistes.