Bhogi Pandagai, Bhogi, Last day of Margazhi Month, First day of the Pongal Festival, Bhogi Pongal Date
Pongal is a four day festival and the first day of this festival is known as Bhogi Pongal. This day is of the festival is celebrated in the honor of the God Indra. Indra is considered as God of clouds and rain. People worship this god for providing the rain and supporting the harvest season.
Bhogi Pongal is also falls on the last day of the Margazhi month. Every year its date is almost fixed. Because this festival is celebrated according to solar calender. every year, it is observed on the 13th January. This day is observed as Lohri in Punjab and Magh Bihu / Bhogali Bihu in Assam.
Bhogi Pongal Celebration
Before the Bhogi Pongal day, all the houses are thoroughly scrubbed and whitewashed. On the festival day morning people draw rangoli / Kolam infornt of their homes. People prepare cow dung balls decorated with yellow or red flowers (Gobbemmalu) and put them in midddle of the rangoli design.
Bhogi Pongal is for household activities and of being together with the family members. People bring fresh harvest of rice, turmeric and sugarcane from the field as preparation for the Pongal. In villages, oxen and buffaloes are decorated and the horns of them are painted in colors.
Bhogi Puja
On Bhogi Pongal day, People worship the Sun and Earth. Farmers also worship ploughs and other tools also. In the evening all of them assemble for the Bonfire ritual.
The Bonfire – Bhogi Mantalu
In the evening of this day people observe a ritual called the bonfire. A fire is made of wood and cow dung cakes. All the useless household things are burnt. People sing songs and dance around the fire. This fire keep them warm during the last phase of the winter.
