I'm back from vacation after a month.. Ya, its indeed a long time. But went like just a sweet week. I had a great time with my family and relatives. I actually planned this trip for our major festival 'Pongal' which was on January 14th.
PONGAL is a South Indian Festival of Rice. In india, as the major component of food is Rice, we devote this day for thanking God by making sweet pongal(made with freshly harvested rice). Its a four day festival with lots of joyful rituals.
The first day, On jan 13th - Boghi - We dispose all the old things for beginning a new year. Literally meaning to leave the old things behind for a new scope and living.
The second day, On jan 14th - Pongal - We make sweet pongal, and offer to gods with poojas and prayers with Karumbu(Sugar cane).
The third day - On Jan 15th - Kanni pongal - This is the fun part, we would mix turmeric powder in a big tub of water and pour on each other and all whoever gets caught. Originally For young girls, this was a way of expressing their interest on young men. They used to pour this water on whomever they chose to marry. Gradually, everyone started having fun.
The last day - Maatu pongal( Cow pongal) - A day for the Cow - regarded as sacred God for Hindus. On this day, we decorate them with new bells, paint their horns and put thilaga and make them ready for the cow race.
Now in Villages all the above rituals and fun continues. But as we live in city, its not possible, so usually we make pongal, pray and offer to gods and munch with sugarcane enjoy with family.
We went to our native Tamilnadu, South India. There I had indeed a great time with all the family members joined together.
MY PONGAL CELEBRATION IN TAMILNADU, SOUTH INDIA:
We made burner in traditional style with bricks and moulding them with red clay. All done manually.
The big pongal pot and put the rice and jaggery, finished with cashews and raisins. It was a great fun and happiness.
MY TRIP TO THE HERITAGE CITY, MAHABALIPURAM, TAMILNADU, INDIA:
I with my family made a trip to Mahabalipuram, the heritage city. a place with marvellous rock carvings, statues and has a rich history behind.
CASURINA PLANTATIONS AND LOVELY LOTUS POND:
A glimpse of the village temple surronded by Casurina plantations.
There was a pond by the side of the temple, with a banyan tree. Nature's beauty was clearly evident by that sight.The famous 'ONE ROCK CARVINGS' :
These are carved in a single rock. A everlasting and marvellous treasure is preserved as our national heritage.
THE SUN OR SHORE TEMPLE:
This temple is the main attraction of the heritage city, lots of people from different parts of the world come to take a glimpse of the beautiful architecture of the rock carvings here.
Due to the recent natural calamity, Tsunami, the carvings are starting to go unshape. Climatic changes too contribute to this change and degradation of reserve.
Also some new treasures were excavated by the Archealogical department recently. They were indeed lovely, an animal looks like a boar statue, and some pond-like structure.
Hope you all enjoyed a quick small tour.. See you all in my journey to world treat in the next post..!
Enjoy blogging!! :)
