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Dear friends
We have completed the first part of the celebration of the most important Tamil holiday. Already yesterday was the first day of the Bhogi Pongal festival, the last day of the Tamil month of Marghazi, people getting rid of old things that burn on the porch of their houses and wear new clothes. It is a time to say goodbye to the old and time for the joyful expectations of the new. The ruler of the gods Indra, Lord of the rains and thunder is mainly celebrated, with thanks for plenty of water.
Today is the first day of the month of Tai, so we celebrated Surya Pongal. The sun-god Surya is glorified for the light and warmth He gives and makes good harvest. The symbol of abundance is a pot full of boiled sweet porridge, which is Tamil's national food and gave the name of the festival. Furthermore, Pongal includes whole sugarcane plants and whole turmeric plants. Sugar cane is made into a tripod, hanged on it with the Sun symbol and decorated with garlands of flowers and turmeric plants. Under the tripod is painted an ornament, which is covered with sand and creates a bed in which to put a round shaped pot of pongal. A festive candlestick is lit and a ceremony worshiping the Sun for its merciful gifts is performed. The ceremony was disrupted by only one monkey, who no longer tasted our pancakes left over from breakfast and got a taste for the grapes. After the ceremony we bow to the gifts of the gods and walk around them in a respectful circle. Then Mataji begins to distribute boiled pongal, all of Athithi ashram sit down and enjoy and enjoy this moment.
In practice, this is verse 3.13. Bhagavad Gita, where Krishna sings:
Of the sacrifice the rests share those good free from all the guilt
However, those who cook for their enjoyment will be stained by sin.
During the preparation of the pongal, of course, we were also thinking about tomorrow, and we prepared garlands of vegetables and fruit for each cow. Tomorrow it will be given to cows along with the ceremony for cows with another pot of pongal, as a thank you for their donations that allow people to live clean, calm and happy life
In the first picture is a rangoli showing all the basic attributes of the festival; next is Arunachala with Sun God Surya rising behind, Then is several other color pictures and a cane seller, cane leaves serve as a bullock fuel. Furthermore, the decoration of Athithi ashram, cooking Pongal, the pot was pretty hilly as it is right. Then added the last ingredients, cardamom, fried cashew nuts and raisins, as a stirrer is a piece of candy cane stick. It is being built and decorated with a tripod, lighting a candlestick and then a few details from the ceremony
One small point of interest. Surely you understand that Pongal is something like Tamil Christmas. The government has decided that poor families will receive 10 kilos of rice, sugar, butter and 1000 Rupees for Pongal so that every Tamil can enjoy this feast of joy.
Have a nice days !!
Josef Fric
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