Celebrating Pongal

What a great time at TABLEtalk, celebrating Pongal Festival. This Tamil festival, akin to Harvest, is celebrated by Tamils worldwide.  Dedicated to Surya (the Sun God), it takes place over several days.

Bhogi Pongal, is a day of preparation. Houses are cleaned, old belongings discarded and bonfires built.

Surya Pongal is the first formal day, one on which Surya, the Sun God, is thanked and worshipped, because without the sun there would be no life.

The second day, Mattu Pongal, honours the cow and other cattle, especially those who have helped the farmers.

Day three, Kannum Pongal, is a day of celebrating families, friends and relationships.

Our TABLEtalk evening began with a great explanation of what the festival was about. Then it was time to eat 😀😀😀

Desh, Arun, Gulakshitha and Abi did an
amazing job of organising our evening.
The food was sooooo tasty, I went back for more!

They also prepared a great multiple choice quiz, which was a real test of our listening skills.  Watch this space for an example of the questions we were asked.

1. What is the significance of the Pongal dish in the festival?

a) Symbol of unity       b) Offering to deities

c) Decorative centerpiece

2. What is the symbolic significance of the boiling over of a Pongal dish?

a) Good luck           b) Overflowing prosperity

c) Cooking mishap

3. During the Pongal festival, what is the significance of the Sun God?

a) Symbol of warmth         b) Religious fasting

c) Agricultural blessing

4. What is the traditional Tamil art of palm leaf manuscript writing called?

A) Kolam          B) Tanjore Painting

C) Kaviyam

5. What is the traditional greeting during Pongal?

a) Happy Pongal b) Pongal Wishes

c) Pongalo Pongal

(See answers at the end of this post)

We had a great turn out for the evening ... 24 students, including 9 newcomers from India, Turkey, Nigeria and Iraq.

Thanks Team for all your hard work!!!

Our evening ended with something non-Pongal related. My very favourite Malayalam song (which might not mean a lot because I actually only know the one).  Anyway, the Thi Thi Thay song, as I shall always know it, has the most catchy chorus everyone can join in.  Thank you, Akhil, for sharing it with us again 💖

Check this out:

Thi Thi Thay song

Thank you, Gouri, for the beautiful card you made 😀

Today, I popped in to the Pongal celebrations in the Deep End. During the festival, many houses would be decorated with these colour Kolam decorations made from coloured rice.

Answers:

1.  (b) An offering to deities

2.  (b) Overflowing prosperity

3.  (c) Agricultural blessing

4.  (c) Kaviyam

5.  (c) Pongalo Pongal