Pongal is one festival
that I always long for since my childhood days. The title in the post tells it
all, yes, I am talking about the festival that we used to at home.
Looking back, a decade,
the several ceremonies that used to be part of the festival, is fast vanished. Of
late Pongal at home, has become a day of a morning prayer at home and eventually
kill the rest of the day in front of the television, or catching up the latest
movies flicks in a movie theatre/ mall. Even worse is if you live in an alien
country, it is just another day at work.
The fun associated with
the festival and the fond haunting memories been always cherished. Our lovely
green property, that enclose several hundreds of coconut trees, near the banks
of the river Paalar. Not to mention the man behind the coconut field, my
grandfather who bought this property, planted those many coconut trees, after
having several successful harvests with some seasonal crops.
The week before the
festival, my grandmother and my parents used to be in their nerves, to prepare
for the festival. After all, it is the day to thank the God of sun, which was
instrumental in yielding us lumpy coconuts. Our loyal guard and his family
about 20 of them presented with new dress for this occasion. The entire
property, cattle yards, barns and houses will be white washed and decorated
with coconut leaves. The horns of the bulls are colorfully painted. We used to
buy earthen pots and cooked rice in it.
During Pongal holidays,
my favorite pastime as a kid was to play with my cousins in the field, drink many
tender coconuts, play with the chickens, soak in the river, get a nice coat of
the river sand, and catch small fishes. Nothing
can beat like drinking as much tender coconuts on a hot sunny day, surrounded
by your loved ones sitting on the coconut coir mattress and chilling out.
I miss those days and
people. Someone said change is the unchangeable. Time has passed and only the
fond memories are left. Our agriculture land been sold. The coconut trees were
been cut down. Our guards and their family relocated to another town, never
seen water in the paalaar river and our Pongal celebration were cut down to one
day festival at home. When time demands you to stay far away from home, only
thing you will do is to recall those days and pass it on to your future ones,
before it fades out of one’s memory.
"Pongal Fest - Compact Version- in Germany" -
Thanks to my wife :):)
Pongalo Pongal..!!!
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