Context

The Pongal for the year 2023 is celebrated on January 15.

About

• Pongal is observed by the Tamil community across the world in mid-January every year.
• It is one of the biggest harvest festivals in India along with Makar Sankranti. 

• The Pongal festival is a four-day celebration affair.
• Each day is marked by different festivities- The first day is called the Bhogi festival; the Second day is called Thai Pongal; the Third day is called Mattu Pongal; the Fourth day is calledKaanum Pongal.

Significance:

• It is basically a harvesting festival or it can be considered as the 'thanksgiving' festival' because this festival is celebrated to thank the Sun God and Lord Indra for helping farmers in getting better-yielding crops.
• During the festival, people reject old belongings and welcome new stuff.

Culture associated:

• The preparation of the traditional "Pongal" dish is the festival's most important custom.
• Rice that has just been harvested is used, and it is cooked by boiling it with milk and raw cane sugar (jaggery).
• The sweet dish occasionally includes extra ingredients like cardamom, raisins, split green gramme, and cashew nuts.
• Other components include ghee and coconut (clarified butter from cow milk).
• Some people prepare the Pongal dish in addition to the sweet version, such as the salty and savoury varieties (venpongal).