Pongal, the Joyous Harvest Festival

Introduction
Pongal which is also known as Thai Pongal is celebrated by Tamils in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the most significant festivals of Tamil celebrated at the end of the harvest season. This festival is celebrated annually during the month of January.  Pongal is considered as the most auspicious one and mark it as the beginning of sun’s movement towards the zodiac Capricorn. Other than Tamil Nadu, this auspicious festival is celebrated in the Indian Union Territory of Puducherry and Sri Lanka.

History
The history of this festival is over 1,000 years old although some say that the festival is much older than that. Still, the history of this festival can be marked from the Sangam Age, from 200 B.C. to 300 A.D. Pongal actually initiated as the 'Dravidian Harvest Festival'. During that period, young girls used to worship God for prosperity and rain and they avoided taking milk and milk products during the festival. They also used to create idol of Goddess Katyani out of wet sand and worship it. Though there are many legends associated with this festival, one of the legends say that once Lord Shiva told his bull 'Basava' to visit the earth and meet the human beings living on it. Lord Shiva had also asked his bull to tell the human beings to take oil massage and bath daily like they eat food every day. On the way to the earth the bull forgot the message and told the human beings to eat daily and to take oil massage and bath once in a month. When Lord Shiva came to know about this, he became angry with Basava and punished him to live on the earth itself and asked help the human beings by ploughing their fields to harvest more grain. Thus, traditions and rituals of ancient period started to be celebrated as Pongal.

Celebrations and Rituals
The festival is celebrated with lot of vigor and joy in the state of Tamil Nadu. Almost every inhabitants living at this place actively participates in its preparations. The celebration of Pongal festival initiates from 13th January and lasts till four days. The festival initiates with 'Bhogi' and concludes with 'Kannum’. The festival is mainly of great significance for the farmers. On the first of the festival, people start with the celebration which is known as 'Bhogi' that includes cleaning of their houses and preparing attractive Kolam at the entrance of their houses.  Late in the evening of the first day, they worship Lord Indra and burn the unwanted things of their houses in a bonfire. After which they sing and dance happily around the born fire. According to the people who celebrate Pongal, this is the sign of the end of old things and beginning of new and good things.

The second day of the festival is called ‘Sury Pongal’ as it is dedicated to Sun. On this day, people worship Sun in the morning and prepare a sweet dish made of new rice, milk and jiggery. This sweet dish is known as 'Sakkarai Pongal'. It is prepared in an earthen pot and when it gets cooked; people will say 'Pongalo Pongal'. The third day of the festival is called 'Mattu Pongal'. On the third day people wash their cattle's like cows and bulls and decorate them beautifully by painting their horns with attractive colors and  by hanging bells around their neck. After completing the decoration of the cattle, they worship them and thank them in helping them in harvesting and ploughing. The last or the fourth day of Pongal is 'Kannum Pongal'. On this day people enjoy to their fullest content. During this day people meet their relatives and friends and exchange gifts, wishing each other 'Happy Pongal'. The entire festival is celebrated with lot of delight.

Pumpkin Festival - Breaking the World Record

Popularly known as the Keene Pumpkin Festival, Pumpkin festival is an annual festivity conducted in Keene, New Hampshire in United States. It is celebrated during mid October to late October in Saturday and is one of the events where the residents of Keene attempt to accumulate a bigger figure of lit jack-o-lanterns in one place inorder to beat or level the world record. In this particular festival, the organizers try annually to beat the record by encouraging organizations and schools to make and aid jack-o-lanterns.


Apart from the major celebration, the festivity also includes music, foods and fireworks in which people from neighboring places are attracted to take part in this fascinating festival. After the end of the celebration, the pumpkins are moved by the volunteers and later they are given to the pig farmers to feed their pigs. The major places for this celebration around the world are: Circleville in Ohio, Keene in New Hampshire, Half Moon Bay in California, New York in New York, and Sarasota in Florida, all taking place in the month of October. 

History: There is not a deepened history behind this festival. Initially it was started in 1991 with 600 pumpkins and after that it brings atleast 20, 00 pumpkins. The Guinness Book of World record was held by Keene for a period of time. After the start of Keene Pumpkin festival, it was celebrated in other places including Norwich, Hartsburg, Boston in Massachusetts, Goomeri, Morton, Maryland, Virginia and many other places. Today, this festival symbolizes a unity among people of each town where this festival is being absorbed.  

At some places, the festival was initially observed to end the drought of water and in some places it is celebrated to relish a standard and enjoyable quality of time. 

   Main Activities and Attractions:

• Jack-o-lanterns exhibited on enormous banks of shelves.
• Pumpkin Mile Race (running through the streets)
• Food and Craft Court in which several delicacies and crafts are kept for sale.
• Beer Garden
• Pumpkin Pie baking Contest
• Pumpkin Pyramid Lighting

Breaking the record of 28, 952 held by Keene Pumpkin festival in 25th of October in 2003, the recent Guinness World record is held by Boston, Massachusetts in 21st of October where 30, 128 pumpkins were counted.
 
Keene: The major place for celebration of this festival is Keene which receives the maximum number of crowd to witness this grandiose event. In 2006, an estimation of about 80, 000 people from across the globe were present in downtown Keene to observe this festival and which is much more compared to the population of Keene that is 23, 000. In 2010, the organizers of this festival in Keene leave it in mid-point; however it was able to find organizers who were willing to sponsor this event. Thus, the celebration was continued in 2011. In 2013, this festival completes 22 year and celebrate the 23 year of this huge celebration. Highlighted events in this festival includes: beer garden, pumpkin mile race, pyramid lighting etc, and many more.  

Nuakhai - Greeting New Rice Paddy and Thanking Mother Earth

Nuakhai (Nua means new and Khai means food) is a festival of harvest which is celebrated after the day of Ganesh Chaturthi festival, on the Panchami Tithi (fifth day) of lunar fortnight of Bhadra month.


This harvest festival is celebrated by the people of Western Odisha in India particularly in the cultural area of Sambalpuri. Though it is absorbed in different parts of India, Sambalpuri stands atop because of its great splendor celebration with great enthusiasm. Grain meaning ‘Anna’ is regarded as Brahma by Hindus and since Goddess Laxmi is attributed to Lord Brahma, she is also worshipped on this celebration along with the local deities. 

On the day of this harvest festival, Mother Nature is worshipped for providing food and all those basics necessary for the endurance of livelihood of human beings. The offering for this is made to Goddess Shakti in Shakti Temple and is offered in leaf-cups made from Palasa, Sal, Tendu, or Kurei leaves. The foods that are prepared form the fresh harvest is offered to the local deities. After the worshipping and prayer to the goddess, all the members of the family consume the holy offering.

Mouth watering sweets along with culinary delights like Manda Pitha and Khiri Puri with fresh rice are prepared. Various events like traditional dances, musicals, and lots more are also organized on the same day. The festival time is set by divine astrologers making it even more important for the people of various places of Western Odisha including Bolangir, Phulbni, Sambalpur, and Sundargarh where the main celebration takes place. All the houses are neatly cleaned and festooned with decoration by house makers. Every old and young people wear new clothes.

For the past few decades, West Oriyas living in different parts of India including Delhi, Bangalore, Vishakhapatnam, Goa and Mumbai are celebrating it with great pomp and show marking their unification all across India.

History: According to researchers it was started in Vedic times when Rishis talked about five important activities in the yearly calendar, including pralambana yajna meaning cutting of the crops and ultimately offering to goddess. Though, the modern celebration can be traced back to 12th century AD, when the founder of the princely state of Patna presently under Balangir district in Western Odisha, Chauhan Raja Ramai Deo realized the crucial importance of agriculture in the economy as, the people spend their livelihood by food gathering and hunting in Patna. The credit for commencing this celebration can be given to him, because it was he who during state formation in Sambalpuri area started Nuakhai as a ritual to promote agriculture as a way of living life thus giving life to the new day celebration of Nuakhai. 

Main Attractions:

• Juhar Bhet is one of the nine colours of Nuakhai in which the elders are respected in an exceptional way.
• Merry making and meeting of relatives and friends.
• Eating of fresh and new rice.
• Unique and delicious Kheer of new rice.
• Cultural and Traditional musicals and dances. 

Truly, it is more than a festival; it is a unique way of thanking Mother Nature for providing foods.