Pongal Back Home

Pongal celebrations back home with Mom and dad is not something unique. But then, it gives me a satisfaction of doing "something" different from routine.

The day before pongal, I go hunting for Neem leaves and a special Poo - "Poola poo" for keeping Kaappu at home. Dad finds out the time before which this ritual has to be completed. I go around the house. I then get my father's approval of it.

Next is the process of putting a big KOLAM. Dad has the duty of bringing some cowdung and some colourant. I clean the garden and make the place clean enough to start the Kolam. I mix the cowdung in water with the colourant and mop the front side of the house. After it dries, the place looks very bright. (so do my hands). Then I put Kolam. I do wish I had the patience to fill it with Rangoli powder too.

I burn all the garden rubbish marking the ceremonial fire of Bhogi festival.
There was a period when Mom used to make mouth watering Poli. These days, she doesn't have interest. Moreover she says "why should I make, when it is available readily made in the market". I do feel sad about it.

Then I go marketing with Daddy to buy sugarcane, turmeric and special roots - "Koorkan Kilangu" and Beans. The usual pooja items - Betel leaves, Betel nuts, bananas and decorative flowers are the others in the shopping list. Jaggery, cashew nuts are items purchased base on home inventory levels.

I wash the brass pot clean and make it shine using tamarind.
Then I tie a rope in its neck to which are attached a piece of sugar cane, a piece of coconut and a small banana. I also decorate it with the leaves of the turmeric plant. Then I mark the Sri charanam marks on the pot.
Towards the end of the day, I clean up the kitchen and put some kolam on the Gas stove also.

I usually get up early on Pongal day. Then I wake mom and dad.
After we take bath, Dad lights the cermonial fire, places the pot on the fire. Mom cuts a packet of milk and pours it into the pot.

I keep the rice & Moong dal mixture ready for both Sweet pongal and normal pongal.

As the milk begins to boil, I beat a plate with a spoon and we all shout "Pongalo Pongal". Mom has some calculations based on which side the milk boiled over. East is considered most auspicious.

Then due to lack of time, mom starts to empty the milk into another vessel so that the balance part of cooking the real pongal is taken over by modern cooking methods rather than traditional means.

Sweet Pongal, Venn Pongal and Puli Kuzhambu (with Koorkan kilangu) marks that day's special.

Then it is the usual TV serials for us.

The next day, mom wakes me up as early as 5.30 and asks me to keep Kanu.
I select a spot convinient for us. Put kolam there. The turmeric leaves are washed and are then placed on the ground. On this leaf are placed, the left overs of sweet pongal and Venn Pongal, ordinary rice as well as rice coloured red and yellow, betel leaves, betel nuts, two pieces of sugarcane, turmeric leaves, and plantains.

Every time I recite "Kannu pidi vechein, Kakka pidi Vechein, Kakkaiykkum Kurivikkum Kalyanam". I feed colored balls of cooked rice to the birds and pray that the house and family of my brother should prosper. Then, Arati is performed offering with turmeric water, limestone and rice, and this water is sprinkled on the kolam in front of the house.

That day, I get turmeric applied on my forehead by all elders marking a blessing.

That day - NO usual Sambar or Rasam is made. That day's special is usually Coconut rice, Lemon rice and Avial. I get the responsibility of making the rice. Mom calls it "Kalandha Saadham". She takes up doing the Avial. Dad has the job of frying Papadums. Not much of cooking is done that day. As usual, the idiot box beckons us with every channel having stiff competition to score highest TRPs on that day.

This time, I will be at home for Bhogi and Pongal only. I have to come back to office on Kanu. Probably I have to get the crows and sparrows inside the office - married.

Pongal marks the birth of a new month "Thai". They say in Tamil "Thai pirandhaal Vazhi Pirakkum".

Last year, the birth of this month marked the beginning of lot of things which have left bad memories in my mind. Will this year make a difference? Will there be a "Spring" that springs in my life at least this year? Lets see.......