I wish all the local guides around the world a happy Pongal.
Thai Pongal is an ancient festival that has been celebrated for thousands of years by Tamils in India and Sri Lanka. The festival is believed to have originated from the ancient agricultural practices of the Tamils, who would offer the first harvest of the year to the gods as a symbol of gratitude. The word “Pongal” means “boiling over” and refers to the traditional ritual of boiling the first rice of the harvest, which is then offered to the gods.
The origins of Thai Pongal can be traced back to the Sangam period (300 BCE - 300 CE) in ancient Tamil Nadu, when it was celebrated as a thanksgiving festival for the winter crop. The festival was also celebrated to mark the start of the solar month of Thai, which is when the sun is at its strongest and the days start getting longer.
Over the centuries, Thai Pongal has evolved and various customs and traditions have been added to the festival. It is now a four-day long festival, celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy by Tamils all over the world.
The festival is also celebrated by farmers and herders, traditionally it was a chance to give thanks to the sun, cows, and oxen for their contributions to agriculture and to ask for blessings for the coming year.
