Pongal – the grand Tamilian Festival of Thanksgiving

Saying thanks is a civilized custom. It is an expression of gratitude in return to something good received from another person. While so, is it not more fitting to thank the invisible superpower that gives the mankind everything they have – from day to day life to prosperity? Pongal – the festival ear-marked as the day of Thanksgiving for the superpower that is visible up above our head everyday – is unique to Tamilnadu and its people; though it is named as Makara Sankaranthi and celebrated in entire India.

In the western countries like America, Canada, The Netherlands, Liberia etc. also they have been celebrating Thanksgiving Day – what started in ancient days as harvest festival for thanking the Sun God, for helping a bountiful harvest of crops – has become a secular holiday for the present generation of people. It falls sometime in November in these countries and people use it for exchanging greetings among friends, for all the goodness between them.

But in Tamilnadu, South India, Pongal festival is still identified as the festival of good harvest, coming as it does somewhere in the middle of January, when the Sun is entering the Tamil Month Thai (mostly January 14th every year and sometimes 15th like this year). By this time the harvest of Paddy would be over and village people use the rice thus brought back home afresh, to cook it on the open yard in front of their houses on this festive day.

Pongal – is the name of the cooked rice – adding jaggery, milk, cashewnut pieces, elaichi etc. with the rice to sweeten it and smelling nice. As the tendency of milk is to overflow the vessel at boiling point (even now mud pots are used in villages, though modern city-life has changed it to metal utensils and pressure-cookers) the very overflowing of milk is taken as symbol of prosperity for the entire family.
The cooked rice is then placed on a plantain-leaf along with other items like fruits, flowers and sugar-cane, as an offering to the Sun God – also in the open space in front of the house in villages; and respective Pooja rooms in houses of city people. The element of offering it to God and praying for his benevolence is one and the same everywhere.

Why Pongal festival is unique to Tamilnadu? Because in other parts of India, the day is celebrated as Makara Sankaranthi – that is Sun is entering the Makara Month according to calendar; and they consider it an auspicious day for taking holy-dip in rivers. Of course Pooja is inevitable one in these places also. But the fanfare and enjoyment of Pongal is unique in Tamilnadu, which extends for 3 days including the day of Pongal.

The second day next to Pongal is known as “Mattu Pongal” – meaning festival of cattle, especially cows and oxen; those animals, which have been serving the family throughout the year, are honored on this day. Villagers on this day decorate their cows and oxen beautifully; and worship them with feeding special food items and sugar-cane. It is another Thanksgiving Day – this time for the animals as well.

The third day is known as “Kanum Pongal” – that is seeing friends and relatives visiting their houses, with gifts and prizes and spending time with them merrily. Yet another Thanksgiving Day among society. During the last decades, this day has been converted into one of Tourism Day, both in villages and towns alike – taking the family for a jolly-trip, to numerous places of tourist importance and rejoicing.
On this day, believe it the Marina Beach of Chennai, the capital of Tamilnadu will be overflowing with a sea of humanity, competing with the sea of water, throughout the day.

Filter Coffee – an inseparable addiction for South Indians

Coffee, as you know is a universal drink. There may not be any one, not familiar with even if they do not drink it. While there are many varieties for serving coffee, hot or cold; with or without milk or cream; strong or light; the fact remains, after a cup of coffee your nerves get the stimulus and you get a kick – for the content of coffin does the trick. Because of this scintillating effect, particularly in the early morning after brushing the teeth, a hot cup of coffee becomes a dire need for many South Indians.
Why South Indians? Geographically North India is situated inside severe tropical conditions and climatic changes – from oppressive summer to cold winter seasons, unlike South India. Due to this reason and owing to cultural aspects and age-old traditions, the colonial-cousin of Coffee, namely Tea, plays an important role as being the morning drink, as well as one needed intermittently throughout the day.
Southern India, especially Tamilnadu tilts in favor of Coffee; and you cannot find a home in the middle-class and upper middle-class bracket that is not waking up with a cup of coffee in one hand and the daily news paper in the other. This trend is mostly prevalent in the nearby State of Karnataka as well, where the popular coffee-growing region Goorg is situated. In Kerala most of the people go for Chaya – the other name for Tea.
Talking of Coffee, the most preferred choice for many is Filter-Coffee. Selected varieties of Coffee seeds are ideal for making aromatic decoction; they are roasted in a way followed for decades; ground suitably – not so nice nor rough, but in between; added with a slight dose of Chicory for thickness in decoction; and the popular brand of house-blend Coffee powder for use in the filter is got ready. The secret why it is not ground nicely is, it will escape the filter-plate and join the coffee decoction below and make a mess of the Coffee preparation.
South Indian women are experts in preparing the best decoction; add thick boiled milk; add half-sugar (more sugar will again spoil the Coffee taste by its sweetness) and serve hot, steaming coffee to their family members, to win their hearts. In hosting guests visiting homes, Coffee plays an important role; and so women are cautious in serving good filter-coffee, lest it will entail many comments and heartburns from them, bringing forth many unpleasantness later.
In the modern age there are many brands and varieties of Instant-Coffee powders available in the market. You can see those companies spend millions of money in advertising them in the media. But ironically these brands are advertised as one you cannot differentiate from filter-coffee and gives the same taste. So you can understand the superiority of a good, tasty, steaming, aromatic cup of filter-coffee, which will leave a lingering taste in your mouth ever after.