Pongal O Pongal

“Off with the old, bring on the new” – this is the message of Pongal. The word ‘Pongal’ refers to the boiling over of rice when cooked with milk. The festival brings with it a number of special delicacies that form a part of the traditional feast.   

Pongal, the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu, falls between the 13^th and 16^th of January every year. This four-day-long festival, also called Sankranthi, is a symbolic thanksgiving to Mother Nature. In the Indian month of ‘Thai’ (January-February), fresh rice, sugarcane, turmeric and other cereals are harvested. So, the festival marks the first harvest of the New Year and commemorates the Sun God whose benevolence made it possible to grow healthy, life-giving crops. 

The festivities

On the main day of Pongal celebrations, women draw intricate designs on their doorsteps with colored rice flour. This is a delicate and complicated art, the beauty of which must be seen to be believed. After that, a stove is prepared outside the house using stones, and it’s time to lay out the feast! 

Pongal and ‘Sakkarai Pongal’

The first and foremost dish prepared during Pongal is the Pongal - rice mixed with milk and boiled in huge earthen ware pots! When the milk rises, it is allowed to overflow from the open vessels that have fresh turmeric tied around it. The flowing over of rice represents abundance; rice and milk indicates prosperity and turmeric augurs good fortune.  

Pongal is eaten with spicy sambhar (a thick vegetable curry that is delicious, aromatic and pungent), vada (fried golden balls of dal) and other savories.  

A sweet variety of this dish is the sweet or Sakkarai Pongal, where rice mixed with moong dal is boiled in a mixture of jaggery and milk. Once cooked, this tasty concoction is garnished with dried fruits and grated coconut fried in clarified butter. A light sprinkling of fine cardamom and the aromatic dish is ready to be served.  

Kheer and stuff

Another sweet dish that accompanies the feast of rice and curries is the vermicelli kheer (watery sweet dish). In this case, vermicelli, which is a kind of thin Indian noodles, is roasted in clarified butter until it turns golden. This is then boiled in milk until the texture turns smooth and velvety. Garnished with fried dried fruits, this kheer is a favorite all over the south. And it’s simply delicious whether served piping hot or cooled in the fridge.  

A crunchy, spiky and completely delightful accompaniment is the ‘Murukku’. These wonderful crispy coils can be stored for later use. They go delightfully well with a cup of hot filter coffee, a drink that Tamil nadu is famous for.  

Other famous Pongal dishes include the dal kheer and the ‘aval’ kheer (sweet dish prepared from thin, beaten rice). 

Why the plethora of sweets? 

Pongal is a festival of joy, abundance and happiness. The symbolic significance of the festival and the gaiety associated with it is the reason why so many varieties of delicious, sweet dishes are associated with it.