Thai Pongal

Thai Pongal, a harvest festival that fills the air with the aroma of freshly harvested crops! It’s a significant celebration for Tamil Hindus and is typically observed in the Tamil month of Thai, which falls in January.

The word “Pongal” translates to “boiling over” or “overflowing,” and the festival is named after the traditional dish prepared on this day. The main significance of Thai Pongal lies in expressing gratitude to the Sun God, Surya, for a bountiful harvest and the abundance of crops.

Classic Sweet Pongal Recipe

Thai Pongal

The below recipe may vary slightly according to the region and your preferences.

  1. Raw rice – 1 cup
  2. Split yellow moong dal – 1/4 cup
  3. Jaggery – 1 cup (adjust according to taste)
  4. Milk – 2 cups
  5. Water – 2 cups
  6. Ghee (clarified butter) – 2-3 tablespoons
  7. Cashews and raisins – a handful
  8. Cardamom powder – 1/2 teaspoon
  9. Edible camphor (optional) – a pinch
  10. Grated coconut – 2 tablespoons (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Wash and Soak: Rinse the rice and moong dal together. Soak them in water for about 15-20 minutes.
  2. Cooking Rice and Dal: In a pot, combine the soaked rice and dal with water and milk. Cook until the rice and dal are soft and well-cooked. You can use a pressure cooker for a quicker process.
  3. Prepare Jaggery Syrup: In a separate pan, melt the jaggery with a little water to make a syrup. Strain to remove impurities.
  4. Combine Rice and Jaggery Syrup: Add the jaggery syrup to the cooked rice and dal mixture. Stir well and let it simmer until the Pongal thickens.
  5. Seasoning: In another pan, heat ghee and roast cashews and raisins until golden. Add this to the Pongal mixture.
  6. Flavoring: Add cardamom powder and a pinch of edible camphor for fragrance. If you like, you can also sprinkle grated coconut on top.
  7. Final Touch: Stir well and let it simmer for a few more minutes until it reaches the desired consistency.

Your delicious Pongal is ready to be served. It’s not just a dish; it’s a celebration of life and abundance.

Pooja On the Day

Performing a Pongal pooja is a heartfelt way to express gratitude for the harvest and seek blessings for prosperity. Here’s a simplified guide on how you can conduct the pooja on Thai Pongal:

Items Needed:

  1. Pongal dish in a small pot
  2. Fruits, flowers, and betel leaves
  3. Coconut
  4. Sugarcane
  5. Turmeric and kumkum
  6. Camphor
  7. Incense sticks
  8. Pooja plate

Pooja Procedure:

  1. Cleanse and Decorate: Begin by cleaning the area where you plan to perform the pooja. Decorate it with kolams (rangoli) using rice flour and place the items neatly.
  2. Set Up the Pongal Pot: Place the pot on the stove or in the pooja area.
  3. Ganesh Puja: Begin the pooja by invoking Lord Ganesha. Offer prayers and seek his blessings for a successful Pongal celebration.
  4. Surya Puja: Since Thai Pongal is dedicated to the Sun God, offer prayers to Surya. You can do this by placing a coconut in the pooja plate, applying turmeric and kumkum, and offering flowers.
  5. Pongal Preparation: As the Pongal dish cooks (or after), offer prayers to the pot. You can chant hymns or mantras dedicated to the Sun God or express your gratitude in your own words.
  6. Offerings to God: Place fruits, flowers, and betel leaves in front of the deities. Light incense sticks and offer camphor for aarti.
  7. Sugarcane and Coconut Ritual: Offer sugarcane and a coconut to symbolize the sweetness and purity of the occasion.
  8. Distribution of Prasadam: Once the Pongal is cooked, offer it to the deities, and then distribute it as prasadam to family members and guests.
  9. Closing Prayers: Conclude the pooja with prayers for the well-being of the family and prosperity.

Remember that Pongal may be thousands of years old and traditionally practiced by farming communities, even in the modern era the ground, the Sun and nature as a whole provides us with the essentials. Getting it from a supermarket or shop does not change the fact that our food comes from the generosity of nature.