'''Thai Pongal''' ({{lang-ta|தைப்பொங்கல்}}) is a [[harvest festival]] celebrated by [[Tamil people|Tamilians]] in the Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]], the Indian Union Territory of [[Pondicherry]].<ref name="Ellis2011">{{cita libro|apellidos=Ellis|nombre=Royston|título=, 4th: The Bradt Travel Guide|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=htAmdNr75P0C&pg=PA61|fechaacceso=3 Januaryde enero de 2012|fecha=19 Julyde julio de 2011|editorial=Bradt Travel Guides|isbn=978-1-84162-346-7|página=61}}</ref><ref name="Richmond2007">{{cita libro|apellidos=Richmond|nombre=Simon|título=Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=9a02sRJKFhMC&pg=PA490|fechaacceso=3 Januaryde enero de 2012|fecha=15 Januaryde enero de 2007|editorial=Lonely Planet|isbn=978-1-74059-708-1|página=490}}</ref> and [[Sri Lanka]]. This South Indian festival, Thai Pongal, is timed by an astronomical event - the [[winter solstice]].<ref name="Raman2005">{{cita libro|apellidos=Raman|nombre=Varadaraja|título=Variety in Religion and Science: Daily Reflections|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Xq_ia3xPzmYC&pg=PA39|fechaacceso=3 Januaryde enero de 2012|fecha=June 2005|editorial=iUniverse|isbn=978-0-595-35840-3|páginas=39–40}}</ref> Pongal is traditionally dedicated to the Sun God [[Surya]],<ref name="TrawickyGregory2000">{{cita libro|last1=Trawicky|first1=Bernard|last2=Gregory|first2=Ruth Wilhelme|título=Anniversaries and holidays|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=gDbKexa1jfcC&pg=PA9|fechaacceso=3 Januaryde enero de 2012|año=2000|editorial=ALA Editions|isbn=978-0-8389-0695-8|página=9}}</ref> and marks the beginning of the northward journey of the Sun from its southernmost-limit, a movement traditionally referred to as ''uttarayana''.<ref name="Raman2005"/> It coincides with the festival [[Makara Sankranthi]] celebrated throughout India as the winter harvest,<ref name="TrawickyGregory2000"/> and is usually held from January 13–15 in the [[Gregorian calendar]] i.e. from the last day of the Tamil month [[Tamil calendar|Maargazhi]] to the third day of [[Tamil calendar|Thai]].<ref name=DM>{{cita noticia |url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2003/01/15/fea10.html |título=Thai Pongal |newspaper=Daily News, Sri Lanka}}</ref> This also represents the Indic solstice when the sun purportedly enters the 10th house of the Indian zodiac i.e. Makaram or Capricorn.<ref name=DM/>
The saying "Thai Pirandhal Vazhi Pirakkum" (தை பிறந்தால் வழி பிறக்கும்) meaning "the commencement of Thai paves the way for new opportunities" is often quoted regarding the Pongal festival.<ref name=DM/> Tamils thank the Sun god ([[Surya|கதிரவன்]]) [[Surya]] for the good harvest and consecrate the first grain to him on this 'Surya Mangalyam'. Tamilians decorate their homes with banana and mango leaves and embellish the floor with decorative patterns drawn using rice flour.<ref name="Ellis2011"/>
Línea 22:
== Etymology ==
[[Archivo:RangoliPongal.jpg|thumb|left|[[Kolam]] decorations in front of house during Thai Pongal]]
''Thai'' refers to the name of the tenth month in the Tamil calendar, Thai (தை).<ref name="Raman2005"/> ''Pongal'' in Tamil generally refers to festivity;<ref name="SachchidanandaPrasad1996">{{cita libro|author1=Sachchidananda|last2=Prasad|first2=R. R.|título=Encyclopaedic profile of Indian tribes|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=TmDRNTYw49EC&pg=PA183|fechaacceso=3 Januaryde enero de 2012|año=1996|editorial=Discovery Publishing House|isbn=978-81-7141-298-3|página=183}}</ref> more specifically ''Pongal'' means "boiling over" or "spill over". The boiling over of milk in the clay pot symbolizes material abundance for the household.<ref name="Raman2005"/> ''Pongal'' is also the name of a sweetened dish of rice boiled with lentils which is ritually consumed on this day.<ref name="TrawickyGregory2000"/> Symbolically, ''pongal'' signifies the warming i.e. ''boiling'' of the season as the Sun travels northward towards the equinox.<ref name="Raman2005"/>
