The beginning of the year kicks off with much excitement and galore. It’s a month of celebration across the world. We were much excited about new year in the last week, this week for Thai Pongal. It’s observed by different name, customs and traditions across the country such as Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Makara Sankranti in Mumbai, Uttarayan in Gujarat and Lohri in Punjab. This is a harvest festival dedicated to Sun God. A festival to thank nature for its abundance blessings, nature’s wealth, farmers unconditional love for nature, cattle and human being. A day to be thankful and gratitude to mother nature and celebrate her as part of our life.
A rich traditional festival Pongal is celebrated for 4 days in Tamil Nadu. The first preceeding day is Bhogi symbolises two things – honoring Lord Indra and destroying old possessions at home. The next day is the big day Thai Pongal symbolises abundance and prosperity. Third day is Maatu Pongal symbolises source of wealth for providing milk, manure and transportation. The Fourth day is Kaanum Pongal itself says visit people. During this day families hold reunions, friends meets for fun and organizes community program to bring people together. No such festival will teach us such importance of celebrating oneness and togetherness.
Remember the good old days, where we celebrated festival as a family. We were much excited to celebrate and festive mood starts atleast a week before to decorate the home with rangoli, invite people, make surprise visits to friends and relatives, prepare and serve food with love and smile. Our life was colourful then with lot of emotions being shared with each other, had fun and laughter together, bonded in tough times and united for a cause. We still cherish those moments and wish it could continue for our generations and generations to come.
The happiness which we enjoyed in those days becomes an expensive gift for this generation. They hardly know about the fun of celebrations, purpose of festivals and values it teaches us. Its just an other day in their calendar and doesn’t hold any difference for them. This is the time for us to realize whats the legacy we are leaving behind for our generations to follow or value our tradition and culture.
If such thought ponders you, it’s time to welcome this pongal with family and friends, follow our traditions and customs. Lets involve our kids to learn values from our festival, respect elders for their experience and wisdom, families for their support and unconditional love, friends and relations for their care and affection and society for their guidance and acceptance. As we celebrate the harvest festival “Thai Pirandhaal Vazhi Pirakkum” it symbolises that problems and disputes are momentary with people, like the onset and offset of sun, it too vanishes.
We continue to believing that festivals are bonding moment for us to let go of grievances and difference of opinions among people. Its brings us together for sharing happiness, feelings and spreading smile and unity with people.
Chellam Narendiran
Srijan Counselling Services
+91 – 98433 14949
Make Children Learn The Values of Festivals
