Pongal is a popular harvest festival in South India---filled with bright colors and spirits. It starts on January 14th and lasts for three days.

Bhogi Pongal is the first day of celebrations and the whole family gets together and celebrates it. Bhogi Panduga means the festival of enjoyment because the ryots after toiling in the fields bring in the harvest and enjoy the fruits of their labour. Surya Pongal is the second day of festivities and the people worship Surya, the sun god, on this day. Boiled milk and jaggery are offered to the Sun God, and friends greet each other asking, "Is it boiled?" The answer: "Yes, it is." The third day is Mattu Pongal, and cattle are worshipped on this day (cattle known as matu). Cattle are bathed, their horns polished and painted in bright colours, and garlands of flowers are placed around their necks. The pongal that has been offered to the Gods is then given to cattle and birds to eat.

Pongal time is also marriage season. Hindus, with great zeal of gusto clean their houses, and before the day breaks burn all the rubbish of the past year. After cleaning the courtyards they sprinkle it with cow dung water and draw with lime powder or rice flour, which is called Muggu in Telugu. "Muggu" is an essential part of Bhogi Panduga and Sankranti. Young girls strain their brains to evolve new patterns of Muggus and struggle to give various color combinations.

Makar Sankranti means the beginning of the sun's journey into the Northern Hemisphere and is celebrated all over the country in one form or the other. People take a dip in the holy rivers and ponds and offer prayer to the sun.

The river Hooghly, near Calcutta, is a major centre for this festival. People come from different parts of the country for a ceremonial cleansing in the river. This is known as the Gangasagar Mela. In Gujarat, a kite festival is held and brightly coloured kites dot the skies.

-- by Chitra Bonam