Harvest Festival: Pongal, Bihu and Lohri

From age old days world wide festivals are associated with good harvesting. India is no exception; festivals are form of expression of joy, excitement and inner feeling of the society. In January in India three harvest festivals are celebrated. They are Pongal in South India, Bihu in Assam and Lohri in Punjab.

Pongal - Harvest festival (South India)

In early times when society was depended upon Agriculture , soon after the Rabi Crops the farmer used sell his production and celebrated in joy with his family and friends . Big land lords distributed new clothing, fresh and a new grain among his workers and the whole village jumped in a celebrating mood, this was the main aim of such harvest festivals. They decorated their animals, purchased new cloth for themselves as well as for their family. Prepared good eatables consumed by their family and they distributed to their neighbors too.

Entire community comes in merry making mood, danced, drank, dressed in new attire, sweets and delicious food stuffs were made available in the market place. For three days the merry making used to continue, houses were decorated, fresh painting, repairs used to be under taken.

In ancient times oxen's were decorated and taken in procession in the entire community as a gesture of merry making and the children jumped with ecstasy.

Pongal is celebrated for three days, day one called bhogi from the crack of dawn the ceremony starts with bonfire and the member of the family assemble around the fire and sweets are distributed and coconut is placed in the flames . Children and women wear new out fits, favorite south India delicacy like chakarapongali, Dahi Bada, Chaddi, Pyasi, and Masorepak are prepared and eaten.

Ladies distribute Haldi and Kunkum power to their neighbors, and spread the feeling of Love, merriment, joy in the atmosphere and in entire community.

Second day, shankaranti the house deity is prayed and every one in the house participate in the puja or offerings .Again new costumes are put on by kids and women. There is a geographical event behind is this day onwards it seems the sun starts moving towards line of Capricorn and this symbolize the end of winter and emerging of summer.

The third day house holds give out cloth and foodstuff to poor and underprivileged. At night the men make merriment by taking alcohol.

Lohri -Harvest festival of Punjab (North India)
Punjab famous for Agriculture and state of Bhangra and Giddha folk dances. People of Punjab are very famous for energy and fun loving. Lohri the harvest festival and also famous for feasts and foods stuffs .

Lohri is a thanks giving to GOD for creation of farming , in Punjab, wheat is the main winter crop, which is sown in October and harvested in March or April. In January, the fields come up with the promise of a golden harvest, and farmers celebrate Lohri during this rest period before the cutting and gathering of crops.

Logs of wood are piled together for a bonfire, and friends and relatives gather around it. They go around the fire three times, giving offerings of popcorns, peanuts, rayveri and sweets. Then, to the beat of the dhol (traditional Indian drum), people dance around the fire. Prasad(offering to GOD) of til, peanuts, rayveri, puffed rice, popcorn, gajak and sweets is distributed. This symbolizes a prayer to Agni (God of fire) for abundant crops and prosperity.

Lohri is also an auspicious occasion to celebrate a newly born baby's or a new bride's arrival in the family. The day ends with a traditional feast of sarson da saag and makki di roti and a dessert of rau di kheer (a dessert made of sugarcane juice and rice). The purpose of the Lohri harvest ceremony is to thank the God for his care and protection. During this festival the people prepare large quantities of food and drink, and make merry throughout the day and night. Therefore everyone looked forward to this day.

Punjab in India is a state full of fun loving people, dancing men and women, sing and dance around the bonfire and people come out of their houses to greet one and all.

Bihu-Harvest Festival (Eastern India)
Bihu is a harvest festival Assam. Assam is one of the most beautiful states of India famous for its lush green TEA gardens. In Assam Bihu means Vishu( the Sanskrit word).

The Assamese celebrate three types of Bihu in a year - Rongaali Bihu or 'Bohaag Bihu', Kati Bihu or Kongaali Bihu and the last but not the least Magh Bihu or Bhogaali Bihu'. The Bihus mark three distinct phases of the farming calendar for the native crop of Assam i.e. paddy. Bohaag Bihu marks the advent of the seeding time, the Kati Bihu marks the completion of sowing of paddy and transplantation of the saplings ('Kothia') and finally Magh Bihu marks the culmination of the harvesting period.

Bhogaali Bihu is celebrated in January, immediately after the traditional paddy cultivation is harvested. It is basically a community festival.
Bhela Ghar or Meji Ghar or thatched house are built temporary purpose for this community festival on barren paddy fields .A community feast is held in this place and people spend night in this houses and on dawn lit bonfire and the whole community enjoy .

Traditional Assamese sweets and cakes like the Laru, Pitha etc. are prepared on the occasion of Bihu in every residence The next day people spent by visiting relatives and friends to convey and exchange the Bihu greetings; the visitors ,neighbors and relatives are treated with the snacks prepared.

Weblinks:
http://www.lohrifestival.org/harvest-festival-of-punjab.html

http://www.assamdubai.org/bihu1.htm

http://www.sankaradevakalakshetra.com/bihu/index.htm