Home

Back to Index

Foreigners celebrate Mattu Pongal in Coimbatore
by Jehovah G

     Coimbatore: A number of foreigners had a special time when they joined in a huge congregation of Tamillians celebrating four-day Pongal festival here. It was a special experience for these foreign tourists to worship cows, bulls and calves in a thanksgiving ceremony organised on the third day of Pongal festival as Mattu Pongal. It was marked to express gratitude to the cattle for giving milk and being a big help to farmers while ploughing in the fields.

    On this day, mass prayers to worship cows, bulls and calves were organised as these animals were decorated with different colours and garlands. The horns of the livestock were painted in different colours. "In my country, from the UK, we don't do special ceremonies for animals like this. So, this is unique and I have never seen such a thing. It's very exciting, very beautiful and very happy atmosphere," said Serana Harrison, a UK tourist. "It's a very-very special celebration and I enormously love and respect the way it's conducted here," said Eduardo Cardona, another UK tourist. To mark this occasion, a private organisation organised the Mattu Pongal Go-Puja (worship of cows) by bringing 108 cows at a central place. "In ancient days, cow was regarded as the most sacred of the animals and each cow was supposed to have different Devatas (Gods) in each of its part. So, when you worship a cow, it's like Puja for all the Gods and Goddesses. These are the old traditions, which unfortunately are now vanishing. So, to revive this great tradition, we thought to bring 108 cows. The number is a sacred number. We ask everyone who cannot afford to perform puja at home, to come over to the central place," said Krishnaswamy, organiser of 108 Go-Pujas. On this day, all cows were given a special treatment with sweetened Ponal, banana , sugarcane and corn grass. Later, a procession of cows also took place and all the cows were allowed to walk on a mud path , which is a belief of Tamil culture.

    Later, a big procession of cows was also carried out as a part of the religious ceremony, in which the cows walked on a mud path, as it considered auspicious in Tamil culture. In South India, particularly in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, the Sankranti or Pongal is a major event of the year. The four days of the festivities are devoted to thanksgiving ceremonies to Lord Indra (the rain God), Sun God and the farming cattle (cows and bulls). First day of the festival is known as Bhogi Pongal and Lord Indra is worshipped on this day. And people thank Him for the rains that led to good harvest. The second day is called Pongal and it is dedicated to Sun God. The third day is known as Mattu Pongal, which is celebrated in honour of the animals, bullocks, cows and calves. The concluding day is or Kanum Pongal.
-Jan 17,  2007

Leading Indian News Papers

Overseas Tourist
Offices

Tourist offices
in India

Helpline