Pongal 2023: Date, History, Importance and Significance

Pongal 2023 Date, History, Importance and Significance: Pongal will be observed from 14 to 17 January 2023 according to the Gregorian calendar, with the first day of Thai or Pongal falling on the 14th day of the month.

By: Lifestyle Desk

New Delhi | January 14, 2023 01:25 PM IST

3 min read

Pongal 2023: Happy Pongal to you! (Designed by Gargi Singh)

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Pongal 2023 Date, History, Importance and Significance: One of India’s most well-known festivals, Pongal is widely observed by the Tamil population around the world. It is celebrated in the Tai month of the Tamil solar calendar. The four-day event, dedicated to the Sun God, marks the beginning of Uttarayan, the sun’s journey northward. It is one of the biggest harvest festivals, along with Makar Sankranti.

This year, Pongal celebrations will begin on January 14 and will continue until January 17. The first day is celebrated as Thai Pongal.

This festival is named after the traditional sweet dish Pongal (“boiling over”) made with rice boiled in milk with jaggery. It is first offered to the gods and goddesses and then enjoyed by the family. The origin of the Pongal dish can be traced back to the Chola period; it appears in a lot of texts and inscriptions. Some Hindu temple inscriptions from the Chola to Vijayanagara Empire periods are also known to include detailed recipes.

It is believed that Lord Shiva once sent his bull, Basava, to the world to remind people that they should eat once a month, get an oil massage, and bathe every day. Basava made the mistake of recommending that everyone take an oil bath once a day and eat every day. Lord Shiva became so upset that he banished Basava to Earth for all eternity in order to help the inhabitants of Earth produce more food. This is thought to be the reason behind cattle’s presence on Earth.

This celebration is all about expressing gratitude to the natural elements that help us exist, therefore farmers honour the rain, sun, and animals, which are all necessary for farming. People perform puja on this day and also visit their family and friends.

Spread over four days, the festival begins with Bhogi Pongal which is followed by Surya Pongal, then Maattu Pongal, and Kanum Pongal. Each of the days has a unique significance with the second day being more most important day. Celebrations also involve decorating cows, ritual bathing, making rice powder-based kolam artworks, offering prayers, and meeting friends and relatives.

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