‘Mattu Pongal’ celebrated with traditional fervour in Tamil Nadu
January 15th, 2011 - 9:43 pm ICT by ANICoimbatore, Jan 15 (ANI): People in Tamil Nadu celebrated ‘Mattu Pongal’, the festival of harvest with traditional fervour and gaiety on Saturday.
Mattu Pongal is a day, when cattle are given a well deserved day of rest and are given pride of place. The farmers honour their cattle by celebrating the third day of Pongal as thanks-giving day for bringing in prosperity to them. They offer prayers to bulls, cows and other farm animals.
The cattle are washed, their horns are painted and covered with shining metal caps. Multi-colored beads, tinkling bells, sheaves of corn and flower garlands are tied around their necks.
Women apply turmeric and vermilion paste on the animals and garland them.
Usha Rani, a farmer, said their cows work hard for them the whole year, so they celebrate Pongal to honour them.
“The cows work hard for us for the whole year and today it’s their day so these cows are given special bath and cleaned and decorated with colours and will be fed with sweet Pongal. They will be given complete rest for one day, no work will be given for today,” she added.
Pongal or the Harvest Festival is celebrated by way of paying tribute to various elements like the Sun, the Nature and cattle for helping them with a rich harvest. (ANI)
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Tags: cattle, colored beads, cows, day of rest, farm animals, flower garlands, gaiety, harvest festival, honour, horns, mattu pongal, metal caps, pongal, pride of place, prosperity, rich harvest, thanks giving day, third day, tinkling bells, usha