THE PONGAL FESTIVAL
Keywords:
PRAYERS OF THE PONGAL FESTIVAL, Relevant Message of Pongal for Our Times, Pongal is a Festival of Cosmic Liturgy, Time of Thanksgiving and Offering of the, Occasion of Rejoicing, REFLECTIONS ON THE FESTIVAL, Bull Fighting, The Gopuja - 'Mattu pongal', Pongal DayAbstract
The Pongal festival in Tamilnadu is the celebration which yet preserves one of the richest traditions of mankind from the remote past. It is a day of thanksgiving to the Supreme Benevolent Power which is beyond all humankind. To the city dweller of the present day, Pongal is merely a ritual of an exchange of formal greetings and to the city workman it is merely the occasion for a few days of absence from work with wages and perhaps for the putting on of new clothes. But to the villagers today, it ismore meaningful and productive of deep rooted joy.
References
Arunachalam M .. Festivals of Tamil Nadu, Gandhi Vidyalayam, Thanjavur, 1980.
Jagadisa Ayyar P. V., South Indian Festivities, Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, 1982.
Brijendra Nath Sharma, Festivals of India, Abhinava pub, New Delhi, 1978.
Puthiyadam Ignetris S.J., Come Let us Celebrate I, ATC, Bangalore, 1981.
Rayan Samuel, "The Earth is the lords," Vidyajyoti, March, 1990.
Raja R.J., "On Loving the Earth," Vidyajyoti, Dec. 1989.
