Makar Pongal

Makar Pongal is celebrated in Ooty and also in the state of Tamil Nadu as Harvest Festival. The festival of Makar Pongal is celebrated in Ooty with lot of festivity and celebration. It is symbolically associated with the prosperity and wealth. The festival is celebrated by the people of Ooty to thank Sun God, Nature, the God of Rain and the cattle for showering them with a plentiful harvest and economic prosperity.

Makar Pongal is a very auspicious festival celebrated all throughout India, but referred to with different names in different part of the country. In the western zone it is known as Makar Sankranti, in the north-eastern region it is called Bhogali Bihu, while in the northern states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi it is called Lohri and on the southern India it is called Pongal or Makar Pongal.

Makar Pongal is celebrated by most of the people in Ooty, they decorate their home with flowers and draw motifs on floor with a batter of grounded rice and water.

As per the Gregorian calendar, Makar Pongal is generally celebrated between January 12 and 15. The literal meaning of the word Pongal is "boiling over" and it is derived from 'Pongal', which is a rice pudding. Every household in Ooty makes this rice pudding with freshly harvested rice, milk and jaggery and then boil it together, since it is considered to be very auspicious. Astronomically the festival of Makar Pongal stands for the starting of Uttarayana.

Last Updated on 9/20/2011