Having Guest Over? 6 Must-have Traditional Pongal Recipes to Try for a Pongal Meal(2019)

India is a diverse country with different traditions and cultures. Pongal is one such festival which is celebrated in Tamil Nadu and is popularly called as the harvest festival as well. Pongal actually means to boil and it is basically celebrated as a thanksgiving to the year's new harvest.

The first day is called Bhogi festival and it is celebrated in the glory of Lord Indra who is considered as the god of rain. A ritual called Bhogi Mantalu is also practised on this day where useless items of the household are tossed in the fire. The fire is traditionally lit with the help of cow dung and wood logs.

This is the second day of the Pongal where a special ritual is performed. On this day, rice and milk are boiled together in an earthen pot. The earthen pot is decorated with mirrors and painted in different colours.

A turmeric plant is tied to the earthen pot and this whole ritual is performed by offering to the sun god. Sugarcane sticks, bananas and coconuts are also offered. The other important tradition of this day is called kolam.

Kolam is a traditional design which is drawn near the entrance of the houses with lime powder. The drawing should be done right in the morning after having a bath. Normally, young girls cook the rice during Pongal. They are all dressed up in their traditional attire.

The third day is celebrated by adorning the cattle. Since it is a harvest festival, cattle play an important role during farming. On this day, the cattle are decorated with bells, garlands and sheaves of corn. After which, they are worshipped.

There is a mythological story behind this one as people say that Lord Shiva had once sent a bull called Basava on Earth. He asked him to give a message to the mortals asking them to take a bath and massage their body with oil. He also asked to eat once a month.

Basava got confused and asked the mortals to do the opposite. After which Shiva was furious and he banished Basava on Earth forever and cursed him to plough fields to help humans produce more food. Thus, this day is dedicated to cattle.

This is the last day of Pongal where a different ritual is performed. People put a washed turmeric leaf with betel leaves on their courtyard. On the leaves, they put leftovers of sweet Pongal, betel nuts, sugarcane and some more food.

This ritual is carried out by women of the house. They carry this ritual in the name of their brothers. They pray and ask for their brother's prosperity and happiness. It is carried out with a lot of spirit and joy by all the ladies.

Pongal is a beautiful festival and has a great logic behind its rituals and celebrations. It is a form of thanksgiving to nature who blesses us with food. Thus, it is a good idea to send best wishes to all your friends and relatives.

You can send them a postcard instead of just sending them a digital greeting. Sending a postcard or seasons greeting card shows some effort and thus, the recipient will definitely appreciate it. The best part is that they can preserve and cherish your card for a longer time as compared to the digital message.

Sakkarai Pongal is also called the sweet Pongal and is one of the most important dishes of Pongal. This is the dish that gets cooked in the large earthen pots. Sakkarai Pongal is normally cooked in the morning and thus, it is relished during breakfast.

The recipe of Sakkarai Pongal is as follows:

Ven Pongal is a traditional South Indian breakfast and it is usually made during the Pongal days. It is healthy and delicious. It can be eaten with both sambar and chutney.

Murukku is a South Indian snack and it tastes delicious. It is normally served to guests during Pongal. It is crisp, healthy and light which makes it a favourite among a lot of people. Try out this recipe.

It is again a crisp South Indian snack which can be had during breakfast or 4 pm snack time. It is easy to cook and is best had with coconut chutney and sambar. Check out the recipe and try making it yourself.

This is a famous delicacy from Andhra Pradesh but people cook it in Tamil Nadu as well. It is perfect to cook for lunch or dinners during Pongal. The guests will surely love this one. The recipe is a bit elaborate but definitely worth it.

It is a yummy and creamy dessert filled with the goodness of milk and nuts. It is a favourite South Indian sweet and is made during a lot of different occasions and festivals. It is also offered as a prasad in a lot of different temples across the country. There are a lot of different versions of Paal Payasam but this one is the basic one.

If you are visiting a relative during the time of Pongal, then do not go empty-handed. Choose a nice gift for them. They will be happy and will definitely appreciate it. Not visiting them in person, then greet them by sending a gift with your greeting card as well.

You can gift them traditional items like a pooja thali or an earthen diya. These things will be helpful in performing rituals for Pongal as well. Apart from that, you can also take an idol of Lord Ganesh or Lord Krishna and give them as a blessing. Another option is a hand-painted earthen pot is also a nice idea. It is a main element of Pongal and your relatives can actually use as a showpiece in their house as well. Apart from that, carrying chocolates, sweets or dry fruits is always welcomed by all and thus, is a safe option.