Pongal in detail

பொங்கல்

Pongal is the Tamil harvest festival, held over four days in the month of தை. Rice is boiled with fresh milk and jaggery in a clay pot until it bubbles over - and everyone calls out பொங்கலோ பொங்கல்!

• போகி - the day before: old things are cleared out.
• தைப் பொங்கல் - the main day: the pot boils over, the sun is thanked.
• மாட்டுப் பொங்கல் - cattle are washed, painted and garlanded.
• காணும் பொங்கல் - families visit each other.

The pot boiling over is the whole point: it stands for abundance, so letting it spill is good luck, not a mistake.