Pongalo Pongal - A Picture Book for Children

“Malini, have you collected all unwanted things from your bedroom? Tomorrow morning is Bhogi Pongal. And we have to burn the old and unused things in our house,” said Malini’s mom Suja. Malini said, “Yes, ma. I have kept them all on the chair."

On Bhogi morning on January 13th, Suja burnt the unwanted things in front of her house. Malini hit the hand drum with a small stick. The whole neighbourhood was filled with smoke.

The next day, January 14th, was Surya Pongal or Thai Pongal. Suja made Sakkarai Pongal with harvested rice, milk, and jaggery in a pot. When the pot overflowed, people standing nearby shouted, “Pongalo Pongal, Pongalo Pongal.” Thai pongalum vanthathu, paalum ponguthu, paatu solladiyo. Malini watched all this as she ate the sugarcane. 

The next day, January 15th, was Maatu Pongal. Malini and Suja decorated the neck of their cow with flower garlands. They applied kumkum and turmeric paste on the forehead of the cow.

The next day, January 16th, was Kaanum Pongal. Malini and her parents went and met their relatives and friends. Then they went to Marina Beach and played. The beach was crowded with a lot of visitors who had come for sightseeing.

Did You Know: Pongal is a four-day harvest festival that is celebrated to thank for agricultural abundance. It is celebrated in Tamilnadu at the start of the Thai maasam. Pongal gets its name from the Tamil word Pongu which means to overflow. This signifies the Pongal pot that overflows when Pongal is cooked. During the overflow, people make the Kulavai sound or ululation.

Pongal or Makar Sankranti is celebrated in other states of India as Uttarayan (Gujarat), Lohri (Punjab), Poush sôngkrānti (Bengal),Suggi Habba (Karnataka), Makara Chaula (Odisha), Maghi Sankrant (Maharashtra and Haryana), Magh/Bhogali Bihu (Assam), Shishur Saenkraat (Kashmir).  

In the Tamil language, Maadu means cow, Kaanum means seeing, Suryan means Sun, and Maasam means month.

Creators of the Story: 

Story Written by Anitha Selvanathan. Illustrations are by Dr. Malathi Venkat.

You can download a pdf copy of the book here: https://storyweaver.org.in/stories/381002-pongalo-pongal 

Note: The story is to introduce children to the 4-day Pongal festival and the different customs and activities during Pongal. We do not support the pollution of the environment.