Pongal

Priya was excited of weekend. She had been busy with school and this is the first weekend, she
is free. Her mum served her breakfast. She liked thosai, the pancakes made of rice flour and so she
happily ate them. While she was eating, her mum said “After this we should do some spring cleaning”.
Priya was taken aback. Her plan to be free will be spoilt. “Mum, its just a weekend and Deepavali is
still so far away. Can we just skip all that and relax”, she said trying her luck with her mum. Her mum
scowled at her and said, “what are you saying? Did you forget that the Pongal Festival is next week.”
It was the moment that Priya realised there is no way to escape this and she liked Pongal. “Ops! Yeah
I’m really craving some sweet rice and sugar canes,” she said thinking about the delicious Pongal.

Fast forward a few hours and a very tired Priya. “I’m tired. Why do we have to clean the house
just to eat the sweet rice and sugar canes”, she whined. Her mum just looked at her a couple of moments
before replying, “Priya, Pongal is not just about sweet rice and sugar canes. Do you know why we
celebrate Pongal?”. Priya didn’t know the answer. She was struck and decided to guess. “Hrrr. Did a
god kill a demon?”, she guessed. Her mum was furious. “Silly girl! Pongal is a harvest festival. We
celebrate it to say thank you to the Sun god”, she replied. Priya was glad of her mum’s reply as she
finally could escape the never-ending cleaning. “Oh! Pongal is a harvest festival but why do we have
to celebrate it? We are not farmers”, she said happily. “Yes, we are not but our ancestors were and we
need to food to stay alive. Stop talking and help me to put this old clothes and old things outside”, was
her mum’s reply.

A few days later, Priya had just returned home from school. She saw her mum had made a small
fire and was burning some things. “Mum, what you doing? Why are you burning these things? I thought
we are giving it away”, she asked curiously. “We will burn some to celebrate Bhogi and give away the
rest to the least fortunate people”, was her mum’s reply while she continued to burn things away. Priya
had never seen anyone celebrating Bhogi before. “Today is Bhogi? Why do we celebrate Bhogi”, she
asked curiously?”. She really didn’t know. “Bhogi is the first day of Pongal festival but it doesn’t fall
on the Month of Thai. We will burn old things and clothes on Bhogi. It symbolises that we clear negative
thoughts and old angers “, her mum explained in detail. She nod in understanding and thought of the
sweet things she would be able to indulge in the next day.

Priya woke up early and took her bath. She wore the new clothes her parents had sewn for her
and got ready. It was still dark as its just half past six. “Priya, help me to bring these things outside?”,
her mum ordered her. “Sure mum. I’m excited but can’t we use the stove to cook Pongal”, she inquired.
“We can but it wouldn’t be the same as making it like this. Come, this year you are going to make the
Pongal. Start with pouring some milk”, was the reply. Priya was eager as its her first time. She was
watching over the pot when it suddenly started to boil over. She didn’t know of how to lessen the fire
so she called her mum hurriedly,” Mum! Mum! The milk is boiling over. Let’s add the rice in”. Her
mum was calm and replied “Wait! Say Pongolo Pongal! Pongolo Pongal and let me show ‘arathi’”. Her
mum showed ‘arathi’ and took some milk.

After she was done, she said “okay add the rice and keep stirring”. Priya was guilt- stricken as
she had let the milk spill, so she replied, “Okay mum. I’m sorry I let the milk spill”. Her mum looked
at her and replied, “No dear. You did right. For Pongal we must let the milk boil over. It means
prosperity and good luck will come”. Priya then said “Hmm. What should we add next?”. “Let’s add
some Ghee, brown sugar, cashewnut and raisins. Keep stirring or else the rice will be burnt”, her mum
said and passed her the ingredients one by one. “Mum, it’s cooked”, Priya said happily. She could
finally eat the sweet rice. Her mum, served the sweet rice on a banana leaf and said “Now, let’s put it
on a banana leaf and pray”. After praying her mum served her some Pongal.

The next day evening, Priya had just completed her homework when her mum calls her, “Priya,
come let’s go to our neighbours house?”. Priya just replied with an “okay, mum but soon she could not
hide her curiosity. “Mum, why are they celebrating Pongal today instead of yesterday?”, she asked.
“Yesterday we celebrate to say thank you for a good harvest, today we are celebrating to say thank you
to the cows for helping the farmers”, was the reply. “Oh. That’s why we are here in the cow barn.
Yesterday was Thai Pongal. Today is?”, asked Priya. “Today is Madhu Pongal which means….”, her
mum stopped halfway for Priya to guess. “Madhu means cow so its Cow’s Pongal. Right, mum?”, Priya
replied carefully. “Yes” was the mum’s short reply.

Later the night when Priya was eating the Pongal given to her by her neighbour, she counted
the days and found there is a day left. She immediately turned to her mum and asked her “Mum, the
other day you say we will celebrate for 4 days. So, tomorrow is?”. Her mum stopped eating and said
“Tomorrow is Kannum Pongal. We will visit our relatives and neighbours and share some Pongal with
each other.” Priya was excited. She would finally meet her cousins. “Oh! I can’t wait to meet my
cousins”, she said to no one in particular and laughed merrily.