Happy Pongal!! The staff and Hindu newspaper reminded me, and we are wishing each other a happy first day of the 4 day Festival. It is the harvest festival in Southern India, particularly Tamil Nadu. Agriculture is of such importance and so it is a time of thanksgiving and celebration. Here is a piece I copied online for you:
Pongal or Thai Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated by Tamilians all over India for four days in the second week of January. This year, the festival is being celebrated on 15 January.
Pongal or Thai Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated by Tamilians all over India for four days in the second week of January. This year, the festival is being celebrated on 15 January.
More than a religious observance, the harvest festival is considered a time to thank Surya — the Sun god — for bringing wealth and prosperity in our life. In Tamil, the word Pongal means "overflowing", and as part of the festival, the womenfolk boil milk in new pots, decorate their homes with banana and mango leaves and draw rangoli (decorative patterns) on the floor using rice flour.
I am still upset about the cell phone and still spending a lot of energy trying to sort out a big problem with personal banking and the quest for a new phone. It is a major setback for me, and a severe lesson to be totally aware of one's environment no matter where you are. No cell phone so no pics until the issue is resolved.
That being said, it was an amazing day with the best photo op of the entire holiday and of course nothing to show. So let me explain. I went for a walk at 5 pm and got interested in the set up for the Pongal Celebration. This was a surprise. Shiva ( the Hindu God) was suitably attired with trident, fake tiger skins, bells on ankles, no shirt, huge black wig, with tons of long hair and topknot. He was not slim, as a little fat around the waist means prosperity here, and that is what we were about! Marigold petals were thrown over him as the band began. Lots of young men dressed only in an orange dhoti ( long wrap around, no shirt with body paint ( white to show on brown skin). There was a huge cymbal group, but it started with the guy blowing the conch shell, then 2 others with huge long horns, blew them, one horn was curly! The drums started up. Very loud, and I had to block my ears and could still hear it all. They changed the rhythmic pattern from time to time. At the front were 9 earthen ware vessels, in which the women in saris had set a fire. Water and rice started cooking in a huge pottery pot over each of the fires. Coconuts, banana leaves, and the very very small bananas here ( pierced with incense sticks ). Little flames were set up as little flammable blocks were set on fire. A huge crowd encircled the musicians, ( many drums ) I had a front row position. Young guys danced to the drums too. The women were busy stirring the rice, and eventually placed some cooked rice on the huge banana leaves on the ground in front of the pots. The centre piece was a statute of Ganesha, the elephant God, and next to him a huge gold Indian philosopher sitting in lotus position. ( ALL replete with marigold garlands ) A guy with a silver plate with fire on it, circled the plate around in front of Ganesha and the Indian Philosopher. I continued my walk, as the ceremony went on for a very long time. When I returned I noticed a wooden trailer with 2 bulls, with huge red painted horns. Bulls had a tikka of ochre and red dot centre between the eyes, as did the musicians. Then Lord Shiva ( the main guy with the trident, who also did lots of dancing for the crowd, got onto the trailer. Young girls got on. I was right there watching. A guy sitting on the back pulled me onto the trailer to my surprise. He wore my new cowboy hat ( my backup).One of the women gave me a small container of the cooked rice, which was now ready. It was sweetened and very nice. I was asked to stand next to Shiva, and waved to the crowd as the whole procession moved forward, pulled by the holy bulls., and of course the huge number of male musicians, drummers, percussionist, horn blowers in the lead. I couldn't believe this was happening!! Indians waved all round, and surprised to see a foreigner , took lots of pics. I totally expect to be on the front page of THE HINDU today!!. I felt like a celebrity. Eventually the wagon stopped in front of a huge lit area, and we dismounted. ( The whole procession was along Beach road, the main drag next to the sea. My hotel faces the sea ) More dancing as the musicians continued to play. I had pics with Shiva!! Then the guy asked me to dance. I was too nervous, but by now knew the dance that the locals did, so danced their dance to the drums. After that I was done...too much adrenaline, so retired from the activity, and continued my walk by the sea wall, which is similar to the Mumbai sea wall. Lots of people walk along the sea wall in the cool of the evening. That was such an amazing experience. I feel better about the sad loss of the cell phone, but am trying to make plans to buy a new one, and sort out my banking issues at the same time. Thanks for reading this far and have a wonderful day. You can just imagine the fun today!! Remember that the sea is the BAY of Bengal, and the tsunami which happened some years ago, happened right here over the beach wall. One guy told me that the sea is now two feet higher than it has been in previous years. What an experience!!!
I am still upset about the cell phone and still spending a lot of energy trying to sort out a big problem with personal banking and the quest for a new phone. It is a major setback for me, and a severe lesson to be totally aware of one's environment no matter where you are. No cell phone so no pics until the issue is resolved.
That being said, it was an amazing day with the best photo op of the entire holiday and of course nothing to show. So let me explain. I went for a walk at 5 pm and got interested in the set up for the Pongal Celebration. This was a surprise. Shiva ( the Hindu God) was suitably attired with trident, fake tiger skins, bells on ankles, no shirt, huge black wig, with tons of long hair and topknot. He was not slim, as a little fat around the waist means prosperity here, and that is what we were about! Marigold petals were thrown over him as the band began. Lots of young men dressed only in an orange dhoti ( long wrap around, no shirt with body paint ( white to show on brown skin). There was a huge cymbal group, but it started with the guy blowing the conch shell, then 2 others with huge long horns, blew them, one horn was curly! The drums started up. Very loud, and I had to block my ears and could still hear it all. They changed the rhythmic pattern from time to time. At the front were 9 earthen ware vessels, in which the women in saris had set a fire. Water and rice started cooking in a huge pottery pot over each of the fires. Coconuts, banana leaves, and the very very small bananas here ( pierced with incense sticks ). Little flames were set up as little flammable blocks were set on fire. A huge crowd encircled the musicians, ( many drums ) I had a front row position. Young guys danced to the drums too. The women were busy stirring the rice, and eventually placed some cooked rice on the huge banana leaves on the ground in front of the pots. The centre piece was a statute of Ganesha, the elephant God, and next to him a huge gold Indian philosopher sitting in lotus position. ( ALL replete with marigold garlands ) A guy with a silver plate with fire on it, circled the plate around in front of Ganesha and the Indian Philosopher. I continued my walk, as the ceremony went on for a very long time. When I returned I noticed a wooden trailer with 2 bulls, with huge red painted horns. Bulls had a tikka of ochre and red dot centre between the eyes, as did the musicians. Then Lord Shiva ( the main guy with the trident, who also did lots of dancing for the crowd, got onto the trailer. Young girls got on. I was right there watching. A guy sitting on the back pulled me onto the trailer to my surprise. He wore my new cowboy hat ( my backup).One of the women gave me a small container of the cooked rice, which was now ready. It was sweetened and very nice. I was asked to stand next to Shiva, and waved to the crowd as the whole procession moved forward, pulled by the holy bulls., and of course the huge number of male musicians, drummers, percussionist, horn blowers in the lead. I couldn't believe this was happening!! Indians waved all round, and surprised to see a foreigner , took lots of pics. I totally expect to be on the front page of THE HINDU today!!. I felt like a celebrity. Eventually the wagon stopped in front of a huge lit area, and we dismounted. ( The whole procession was along Beach road, the main drag next to the sea. My hotel faces the sea ) More dancing as the musicians continued to play. I had pics with Shiva!! Then the guy asked me to dance. I was too nervous, but by now knew the dance that the locals did, so danced their dance to the drums. After that I was done...too much adrenaline, so retired from the activity, and continued my walk by the sea wall, which is similar to the Mumbai sea wall. Lots of people walk along the sea wall in the cool of the evening. That was such an amazing experience. I feel better about the sad loss of the cell phone, but am trying to make plans to buy a new one, and sort out my banking issues at the same time. Thanks for reading this far and have a wonderful day. You can just imagine the fun today!! Remember that the sea is the BAY of Bengal, and the tsunami which happened some years ago, happened right here over the beach wall. One guy told me that the sea is now two feet higher than it has been in previous years. What an experience!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment