We call the Sun’s journey into the Northern Hemisphere as Uttarayan. Makara Sankranthi, an extremely auspicious day falls on the day the Sun transits into Makar Rashi (Capricorn). South Indians celebrate Makara Sankranthi for four consecutive days called Bhogi, Pongal, Mattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal.
Basically, on Makar Sankranthi, we revere Prakriti’s blessings and express our gratitude to Her for a bountiful harvest. More importantly, we appreciate our farmers who work hard throughout the year to provide us with food.
Bhogi
We celebrate Bhogi on the last day of Dhanur Maas/Margashirsha. It is on this auspicious day that Goda Devi (Andaal) marries Sri Ranganatha Swamy.
On this day we perform an extremely symbolic ritual. We create a bonfire, burn all our old things and then buy new things. To reaffirm to ourselves that we have to consciously usher in change into our lives and create new beginnings. Regularly.
Children dance around the Bhogi bonfire and sing songs. Women draw big rangolis outside their homes and place Gobammas in the centre. Some people keep neem leaves along the walls and on the roof of their houses through a simple ceremony called “Kappu Kattu”. Yet others keep small portions of coloured rice in small leaves and offer it to crows and call this ritual “Kakka pudi” and “Kannu Pudi.” They believe that all these rituals eliminate evil forces. We then bless our children by showering them with a mixture of flower petals, jujube berries and coins.
Farmers believe that burning domestic and agricultural waste rids the fields of harmful insects and worms. And on Bhogi they worship their ploughs and other farming equipment by smearing Kumkum and sandalwood paste. They then paint and decorate new earthenware pots and allow them to dry.
Pongal
On Makar Sankranthi, we first worship these earthenware pots with flowers and mango leaves. And make Sakkarai Pongal by boiling freshly harvested rice with milk, jaggery, cashew nuts and raisins in these pots early in the morning. On this day we allow the Sakkarai Pongal to boil over the vessel. The moment the Sakkarai Pongal bubbles out of the vessel, we blow the conch and say, “Pongalo Pongal.” With the firm belief that we will experience abundance and peace in the coming year.
Farmers first offer this Sakkarai Pongal to Surya, Varuna, Indra and Bhu Devi at sunrise and then harvest their paddy. In essence, the farmers thank the deities of the elements for without the sun, air, abundant rains, and soil we cannot reap a bountiful harvest.
Ratha Saptami
Some villagers celebrate Ratha Saptami or Surya Jayanti on the 7th day of the Shukla Paksha of Margashirsha. They believe that Surya was born on this day. And it is on this day that Surya turns his chariot towards the northern hemisphere ushering in the auspicious phase of Uttarayan. So, they draw a chariot-shaped rangoli on Ratha Saptami.
Symbolically, Surya represents spiritual light and wisdom. So, on this day let’s reaffirm to ourselves that we need to shed our ignorance and make conscious efforts to evolve spiritually.
Mattu Pongal
On Mattu Pongal, farmers express their gratitude to the animal kingdom. For they know, very well, that without their quiet physical support, they could never reap a bountiful harvest.
So, all farmers decorate their cattle with ribbons, drape bells around their necks, paint their horns and feed them sweet rice and sugar cane. They then take them out for joy rides, prod them to race amongst themselves and feed other animals, birds and fish.
Some say that lord Krishna lifted the Goverdhan Parvat on Mattu Pongal.
Haridaas and Gangireddulu
In some villages, singers called Haridaasulu sing songs in praise of lord Vishnu. They set off early in the morning with a colourfully decorated bull called Gangireddulau, maintain a vow of silence and behave like Sri Hari’s Daas.
The Harudaasu visits everyone’s homes with his Gangireddulau and makes it dance and bow to the housewives. And accepts whatever each housewife gifts him. Since farmers worship animals on this day, the Haridaasu gets good gifts.
Kaanum Pongal
On Kaanum Pongal, we visit our friends and relatives, thank them for their support, do some sightseeing and fly kites. Non-vegetarians worship their Gram Devis by gifting her an animal or two.
Gobamma
Gobbammas are balls made out of cow dung. We adorn the Gobammas with haldi, Kumkum, 9 kinds of grains (Nava Dhanya) and flowers. And place them in the middle of our rangolis when the Dhanur Maas begins.
Women chant “Gomaye vasate Lakshmi,” sing traditional songs and dance around their Gobammas. With the firm belief that this ritual enhances the aura of their bodies and ushers prosperity and peace into their homes.
Some people place a big Gobamma in the centre of their rangolis and smaller ones around it to symbolise the sun and the planets. Others believe the central Gobamma to be Krishna and the smaller ones to be gopikas.
Yet others say that their Gobammas symbolise Goddess Gowri who is an aspect of Prakriti. And for some Gobammas symbolise Andaal’s divine love for Sri Ranganatha Swamy. So unmarried women follow this ritual to get a good husband soon.
Some people believe that the Gobammas that we place outside our homes protect us from harmful cosmic rays that radiate from the sun during this time. So, they insert Darbha grass inside their Gobammas.
In some villages, women immerse their Gobammas in the river on the last day of Sankranthi to mark the end of the festive season. While others dry their Gobammas and use them as fuel to make Sakkarai Pongal on Makar Sankranthi or Ratha Saptami.
Scholars say that the word Gobbi probably comes from the word “Garba” because the dance forms are similar. Or maybe it refers to the word “Gopi” the beloved milkmaids of Vrindavan.
At a fundamental level, Gobammas represent Bhu Devi, the fertility goddess. And we find all her divine components – soil, water, air, flowers et al in our Gobammas. So Gobammas symbolise the natural elements that indicate the pervasiveness of the goddess. For Prakriti is just one of the many aspects of Bhudevi through which she showers her grace on us.
Something to reflect upon
More often than not, we take several things for granted. Rituals like Bhogi, Makar Sankranthi, Pongal, Mattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal make us pause from the busyness of our lives. And appreciate the food that we eat. We appreciate the efforts of our farmers who toil day in and day out in all seasons to grow the food that we eat.
And if we think a little more deeply, especially on such festive occasions, we will realize how well that higher force that pervades through the cosmos takes care of us. So many cosmic factors coupled with human labour blend so beautifully to nourish our bodies. We do have a lot to be grateful for. So, like our farmers, let’s also celebrate Makar Sankranthi with gratitude and humility.
Please click here to read articles on other Indian rituals.