We are fortunate to live in a country endowed with festivals throughout the year! These festivals celebrate life in all its grandeur and buoyancy. Once the new year is rung in, we all know that it will soon be followed by Lohri, Makar Sankranti, Pongal. These fall between January 13 and 15, the month of Magha.
They are a celebration of our mother earth, the farmer, agriculture, harvest, and as all our festivals also mark the seasons, the sun as it begins its northward movement- Uttarayan – to transition from winter to spring. Lohri is what I am most familiar with and my earliest memories are of our joint family sitting around the crackling bonfire on a cold January night, offering it popcorn, peanuts and revdi, gurh and gajak. Children oftentimes accompanied by a parent would come to the door singing folk songs and ballads of Dulla Bhatti, a hero of Punjab and demanding their “lohri” any or all of the edibles offered to the bonfire. I am newly acquainted with a Lohri delicacy named ‘Pugga’ , decidedly delicious and fortified with til (sesame) , almonds and a khoya base , the best variety hailing from Amritsar, I am told, and perfect with its ‘garam taseer’ to combat the chill of the January nights.
Pongal is a four day festival in Tamil Nadu and its first day is celebrated as Bhogi. A friend informs me that on the morning of Bhogi a bonfire is lit and unwanted items are consigned to it symbolizing the past is truly past taking along with it any negativity and a new beginning is in the offing. On Pongal day the new rice crop is put to boil in new metal and earthen pots rendered auspicious with Kumkum and sandal paste. Pongal means to “boil over” so may it spill over for luck and prosperity in the year to come!
We wish all our readers a Happy 2024 !
