Makara Shankranti (Pongal)
SALUTATIONS and adorations to
the Supreme Lord, the primordial power that divided the year into the four
seasons. Salutations to Surya, the Sun-God, who on this great day embarks on
his northward journey.
The Sanskrit term
“Shankramana” means “to begin to move”. The day on which the sun begins to move
northwards is called Makara Shankranti. It usually falls in the middle of
January.
Among the Tamilians in South
India this festival is called the Pongal.
To many people, especially the
Tamilians, Makara Shankranti ushers in the New Year. The corn that is
newly-harvested is cooked for the first time on that day. Joyous festivities
mark the celebration in every home. Servants, farmers and the poor are fed and
clothed and given presents of money. On the next day, the cow, which is
regarded as the symbol of the Holy Mother, is worshipped. Then there is the feeding
of birds and animals.
In this manner the devotee’s
heart expands slowly during the course of the celebrations, first embracing
with its long arms of love the entire household and neighbors, then the
servants and the poor, then the cow, and then all other living creatures.
Without even being aware of it, one develops the heart and expands it to such
proportions that the whole universe finds a place in it.
As Shankranti is also the
beginning of the month, Brahmins offer oblations to departed ancestors. Thus,
all the great sacrifices enjoined upon man find their due place in this grand
celebration. The worship of the Cosmic Form of the Lord is so well introduced
into this, that every man and woman in India is delightfully led to partake of
it without even being aware of it.
To the spiritual aspirants
this day has a special significance. The six-month period during which the sun
travels northwards is highly favorable to them in their march towards the goal
of life. It is as though they are flowing easily with the current towards the
Lord. Paramahamsa Sannyasins roam about freely during this period, dispelling
gloom from the hearts of all. The Devas and Rishis rejoice at the advent of the
new season, and readily come to the aid of the aspirant.
The great Bhishma, the
grandfather of the Pandavas, was fatally wounded during the war of the
Mahabharata, waited on his deathbed of nails for the onset of this season
before finally departing from the earth-plane. Let us on this great day pay our
homage to him and strive to become men of firm resolve ourselves!
As already mentioned, this is
the Pongal festival in South India. It is closely connected with agriculture. Symbolically,
the first harvest is offered to the Almighty—and that is Pongal. To toil was
his task, his duty, but the fruit is now offered to Him—that is the spirit of
Karma Yoga.
The master is not allowed to
grab all the harvest for himself either. Pongal is the festival during which
the landlord distributes food, clothes and money among the laborers who work
for him. Be charitable. Be generous. Treat your servants as your bosom-friends
and brother workers. This is the keynote of the Pongal festival. You will then
earn their loyalty and enduring love.
The day prior to the Makara
Shankranti is called the Bhogi festival. On this day, old, worn-out and dirty
things are discarded and burnt. Homes are cleaned and white-washed. Even the
roads are swept clean and lovely designs are drawn with rice-flour. These
practices have their own significance from the point of view of health. But,
here I remind you that it will not do to attend to these external things alone.
Cleaning the mind of its old dirty habits of thought and feeling is more
urgently needed. Burn them up, with a wise and firm resolve to tread the path
of truth, love and purity from this holy day onwards. This is the significance
of Pongal in the life of the spiritual aspirant.
If you do this, then the
Makara Shankranti has a special significance for you. The sun, symbolizing
wisdom, divine knowledge and spiritual light, which receded from you when you reveled
in the darkness of ignorance, delusion and sensuality, now joyously turns on
its northward course and moves towards you to shed its light and warmth in
greater abundance, and to infuse into you more life and energy.
In fact, the sun itself symbolizes
all that the Pongal festival stands for. The message of the sun is the message
of light, the message of unity, of impartiality, of true selflessness, of the
perfection of the elements of Karma Yoga. The sun shines on all equally. It is
the true benefactor of all beings. Without the sun, life would perish on earth.
It is extremely regular and punctual in its duties, and never claims a reward or
craves for recognition. If you imbibe these virtues of the sun, what doubt is
there that you will shine with equal divine luster!
He who dwells in the sun, whom
the sun does not know, whose body the sun is, and by whose power the sun
shines—He is the Supreme Self, the Indweller, the immortal Essence. Tat Twam
Asi—“That thou art”. Realize this and be free here and now on this holy
Pongal or Makara Shankranti day. This is my humble Pongal prayer to you all.
On the Shankranti day, sweets,
puddings and sweet rice are prepared in every home, especially in South India.
The pot in which the rice is cooked is beautifully adorned with turmeric leaves
and roots, the symbols of auspiciousness. The cooking is done by the women of
the household with great faith and devotion, feeling from the bottom of their
hearts that it is an offering unto the Lord. When the milk in which the rice is
being cooked boils over, the ladies and the children assemble round the pot and
shout “Pongalo Pongal!” with great joy and devotion. Special prayers are
offered in temples and houses. Then the people of the household gather together
and partake of the offerings in an atmosphere of love and festivity.
There is family re-union in
all homes. Brothers renew their contacts with their married sisters by giving
them presents.
The farmer is lovingly greeted
by the landlord and is given presents of grain, clothes and money.
On the next day, the herds of
cows are adorned beautifully, fed and worshipped. In some villages the youth
demonstrate their valor by taking “the bull by the horn” (and often win their
brides thereby!). It is a great day for the cattle.
On the same day, young girls
prepare various special dishes—sweet rice, sour rice, rice with coconut—and
take them to the bank of a river or tank. They lay some leaves on the ground
and place on them balls of the various preparations for the fish, birds, and
other creatures. It is an extremely colorful ceremony. The crows come down in
large numbers and partake of the food. All the time a valuable lesson is driven
into our minds—“Share what you have with all”. The crow will call others before
beginning to eat.
Both these days, which are
family re-union days, are regarded as being inauspicious for travel. This is to
prevent us from going away from home on those days.
When you celebrate the
Shankranti or Pongal in this manner, your sense of value changes. You begin to
understand that your real wealth is the goodwill and friendship of your
relatives, friends, neighbours and servants; that your wealth is the land on
which your food grows, the cattle which help you in agriculture, and the cow
which gives you milk. You begin to have greater love and respect for them and
for all living beings—the crows, the fish and all other creatures.
In Maharashtra and in North
India, spiritual aspirants attach much importance to Makara Shankranti. It is
the season chosen by the Guru for bestowing his Grace on the disciple. In the
South, too, it should be noted that it was about this time that Mahadeva favored
several of the Rishis by blessing them with His beatific vision.
Excerpts from:
Makara Shankranti
– Hindu Fasts and
Festivals by Sri Swami Sivananda
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