Idukki border villages dive into Pongal festivities

The border villages of Idukki have come alive with festive cheer as preparations get underway for Pongal, the traditional harvest festival of the Dravidian community. The four-day celebrations will begin on Thursday.

The festival is observed with special fervour in the plantation regions of Elappara, Pampanar and Vandiperiyar, where a large population of Tamil-origin residents live. Pongal is celebrated from the last day of the Tamil month of Margazhi to the third day of the month of Thai. Sugarcane, a key symbol of the festival, has already arrived in large quantities in local markets from Tamil Nadu.

Distinct rituals for each day
Each day of Pongal has its own rituals and customs. Celebrations begin with cleaning and decorating homes, tying protective threads at the main entrance and drawing traditional kolams.

The last day of Margazhi is observed as Bhogi. On this day, people thank the Sun God for favourable weather and pray for a good harvest in the coming year. The day traditionally ends with the burning of old household items using firewood and cow dung, symbolising the discarding of the old to welcome the new.

The main celebration, Thai Pongal, is observed on the first day of the Tamil month of Thai. Special prayers are held, colourful kolams are drawn in courtyards, and rice is cooked in milk on traditional hearths near the kolam. Rice, sugarcane, fruits, and coconut are offered to the Sun God. Family members wear new clothes and exchange gifts.

The third day is celebrated as Mattu Pongal, during which cattle are bathed, decorated with ash and coloured powders, and worshipped. The fourth day marks Kaanum Pongal, a day of social gatherings and visits. Pongal also coincides with the beginning of the Tamil New Year.