Pongal 2023: Date and significance of the auspicious festival

Pongal is one of the most prominent festivals in South India. It is mainly celebrated in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. The people of South India celebrate this festival as New Year. At the same time when the festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated in North India, and at the same time the festival of Pongal is celebrated in South India. This festival of Pongal lasts for four days. Pongal festival is celebrated with great pomp in South India for four days. Pongal in Tamil means boom or upheaval. On the Pongal festival, things related to rain, sunlight and agriculture are worshipped for happiness and prosperity. 

When is Pongal starting?

According to the Tamil calendar, when the Sun God moves out of Sagittarius and enters Capricorn on January 14 or 15, it is considered the beginning of the new year. This year the festival of Pongal will be celebrated from January 15,.to January 18, 2023.

Main traditions of the four-day festival

The festival of Pongal is celebrated in different forms for four days. The first day of this four-day festival is celebrated as Bhogi Pongal. On this day worship is done to please Indra Dev. The second day of the Pongal festival is celebrated as Surya Pongal, the third day as Mattu Pongal and the fourth day as Kannam Pongal.

Pongal is a symbol of happiness and prosperity

It is believed that the way Makar Sankranti is celebrated in North India after the Sun's Uttarayan. Similarly, Pongal festival is celebrated in the South. Traditionally, this festival is considered a symbol of prosperity, in which rain, sunlight and farm cattle are worshipped to bring prosperity.

This is how Pongal is considered

Pongal festival is celebrated with great pomp. During this, houses are cleaned and plastered. After this Rangoli is made. It is believed that on the occasion of Pongal, South Indian people give up bad habits and wish for a happy life.