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Thai Pongal
Observed by	Tamilians
Type	Festival,[(Sri lankan Tamils Tamilnadu, India
Significance	Harvest festival. Thanking the sun god for agricultural abundance
Date	First day of the tenth month of Thai in the Tamil calendar
2013 date	14 January
Celebrations	Feasting, gift-giving, visiting homes

Thai Pongal (Tamil: தைப்பொங்கல்) is a harvest festival celebrated by Tamilians in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the Indian Union Territory of Pondicherry.^[1][2] and Sri Lanka. This South Indian festival, Thai Pongal, is timed by an astronomical event - the winter solstice.^[3] Pongal is traditionally dedicated to the Sun God Surya,^[4] and marks the beginning of the northward journey of the Sun from its southernmost-limit, a movement traditionally referred to as uttarayana.^[3] It coincides with the festival Makara Sankranthi celebrated throughout India as the winter harvest,^[4] and is usually held from January 13–15 in the Gregorian calendar i.e. from the last day of the Tamil month Maargazhi to the third day of Thai.^[5] This also represents the Indic solstice when the sun purportedly enters the 10th house of the Indian zodiac i.e. Makaram or Capricorn.^[5]

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.^[5] Pongal Tamils thank the Sun god (கதிரவன்) 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.^[1]

History[link]

The history may well be more than 1000 years old although some are of the view that the festival is older. Epigraphic evidence suggests the celebration of the Puthiyeedu during the Medieval Chola empire days. It is thought that Puthiyeedu meant the first harvest of the year.^[6] The Sangam era literary work, the Paripaadal, refers to a fast by unmarried girls in honor of the God Vishnu in the month of Thai, known as the Thai Nonbu. The link between that fast and today's harvest festival needs to be further researched. Tamils refer to Pongal as "Tamizhar Thirunaal" (meaning "the festival of Tamils")^[7] Makara Sankranti in turn is referred to in the Surya Siddhanta.

Etymology[link]

Thai refers to the name of the tenth month in the Tamil calender, Thai (தை).^[3] Pongal in Tamil generally refers to festivity;^[8] more specifically Pongal means "boiling over" or "spill over". The boiling over of milk in the clay pot symbolizes material abundance for the household.^[3] Pongal is also the name of a sweetened dish of rice boiled with lentils which is ritually consumed on this day.^[4] Symbolically, pongal signifies the warming i.e. boiling of the season as the Sun travels northward towards the equinox.^[3]

Pongal dish[link]

Making of Pongal dish

Pongal being cooked in a city home.

Besides rice and lentils, the ingredients of the sweet dish Pongal dish include cardamom, jaggery, and cashew nuts. Cooking is done in sunlight, usually in a porch or courtyard, as the dish is dedicated to the Sun god, Surya. The cooking is done in a clay pot called kollam which is decorated with coloured patterns. There are two versions of pongal, one sweet the other salted. The prepared dish is served on banana leaves.^[3]

Apart from Pongal Day celebrations, cooking pongal rice (community pongal) is a traditional practice at Hindu temples during any Temple Festival in Tamil Nadu. The community will convene to cook pongal rice, partake of it and distribute it to those present.

Bhogi[link]

Bhogi Pandigai / Bhogi Pallu / Lohri / போகிப்பண்டிகை / போகிப் பள்ளு / லோஹ்ரி

The day preceding Pongal is called Bhogi when people discard old things and focus on new belongings (பழையன கழிதலும் புதியன புகுதலும்). The disposal of derelict things is similar to Holika in North India. The people assemble at dawn in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh to light a bonfire to discard old used possessions. The house is cleaned, painted and decorated to give a festive look. In villages, the horns of oxen and buffaloes are painted in colors and in most rural parts of Andhra Pradesh people celebrate it in a grand way as most of them would have their harvest ready or even would have made money out of the harvests.

This tradition is observed on the same day in Andhra Pradesh where it is also called "Bhogi." The fruits from the harvest are collected (such as regi pallu and sugar cane), along with flowers of the season, in a ceremony called Bhogi Pallu Money is often placed into a mixture of Bhogi Pallu, and the mixture is poured over children, who then collect the money and sweet fruits.

This day is celebrated in Punjab as Lohri and in Assam as Magh Bihu / Bhogali Bihu.

Thai Pongal[link]

Pongal Pandigai பொங்கல் பண்டிைக

Pongal itself falls on the first day of the Tamil month of Thai (January 14 or 15)(For Year 2012 Pongal is on Sunday, 15-Jan-2012). It is celebrated by boiling rice with fresh milk and jaggery in new clay pots. The rice is later topped with brown sugar, ghee, cashew nuts and raisins. This tradition gives Pongal its name.^[5] The rice is traditionally cooked at sun rise.

The moment the milk boils over and bubbles out of the vessel, the tradition is to shout of "Pongalo Pongal!", introduce freshly harvested rice grains in the pot and blow the sanggu (a conch). Tamils consider it a good sign to watch the milk boil over as it connotes good luck and prosperity. The newly cooked rice is traditionally offered to the Sun God at sunrise to demonstrate gratitude for the harvest. It is later served to the people present in the house for the ceremony. People prepare savories and sweets such as vadai, murukku, paayasam, visit each other and exchange greetings.

Tamils draw kolams/rangolis on the door step, consume sugar cane, prepare sweetened rice, milk and jaggery in new earthen pots and dedicate it to Sun God. The family elders present gifts to the young. Elsewhere in India, there is kite flying in Gujarat and Andhra, the Jahangir Dance in Punjab and the Ganga Sagar Mela in Bengal. Millions of people immerse themselves in rivers in North India and offer prayers to the Sun God - Suryan. People offer thousands of their colorful oblations to the Sun in the form of beautiful kites.

The Sun stands for “Pratyaksha Brahman” - the manifest God, who symbolizes the one, non-dual, self-effulgent, glorious divinity blessing one and all tirelessly. The Sun is the one who transcends time and also the one who rotates the proverbial wheel of time.

Maattu Pongal[link]

Mattu Pongal Cattle play an important role in the traditional Indian farmstead be it with regards to the provision of dairy products, its use for ploughing and transport and its provision of fertilizer. This explains the Tamil reference to cattle as wealth. On the day after Pongal, cattle are felicitated. In rural Tamil Nadu, adventurous games such as the Jallikkattu or taming the wild bull are features of the day. Maattu Mattu Pongal Ponngal is intended to demonstrate our recognition and affection to cattle and decorate them with garlands, apply kungumam (kumkum) on their foreheads and feed them good food.

Kanu Pidi is a tradition that the ladies and young girls of the house follow. Women feed birds and pray for the well being of their brothers. Women of the family place different kinds of coloured rice, cooked vegetables, banana and sweet pongal on a ginger or turmeric leaf and invite the crows, which descend in hordes to share and enjoy the "Kaka pidi, Kanu pidi" feast. Women offer prayers in the hope that the brother-sister ties may remain forever strong like the family of crows.

Kaanum Pongal[link]

Kaanum Pongalகாணும் பொங்கல்

This is a time for family reunions in Tamil Nadu. Brothers pay special tribute to their married sisters by giving gifts as affirmation of their filial love. Landlords present gifts of food, clothes and money to their workforce. During Kaanum Pongal (the word kaanum means "to view"), people visit relatives and friends to enjoy the festive season. In the cities this day is synonymous with people flocking to beaches and theme parks to have a day out with their families. They also chew sugar cane and decorate their houses with kolam. This day is a day to thank relatives and friends for their support in the harvest. Although it started as a farmers festival, today it has become a national festival for all Tamils irrespective of their origins or even religion. It is as popular in urban areas as is in rural areas.

In Andhra Pradesh, Mukkanuma, the final day of Sankranthi festival, is celebrated to worship cattle. Mukkanuma is famous among the non-vegetarians of the society. People do not eat any non-vegetarian dishes during the first three days of the festival and eat it only on the day of Mukkanuma.

• 

  An office in Tamil Nadu decorated for the festival of Thai Pongal

See also[link]

• List of Harvest Festivals

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Saveri, Nicholapillai Maria (0001). Jaffna The Land of the Lute. Thirumarai Kalamanram Publications. pp. 125. ISBN 0-9681597-0-2. 
• Pongal Festival India 2012 Videos

v t e Festivals in the Hindu calendar Major festivals Pongal Makar Sankranti Holi Rama Navami Krishna Janmashtami Maha Shivaratri Onam Ganesh Chaturthi Navratri (Mysore Dasara – Durga Puja – Vijayadashami) Diwali (Bhau-Beej) Chhath Vat Purnima Thaipusam Regional New Year Gudi Padwa (Marathi, Konkani) Ugadi (Telugu, Kannada) Cheti Chand (Sindhi) Bihu (Assamese) Bisu (Tuluva) Vaisakhi (Punjabi) Vishuva Sankranti (Oriya) Pohela Boishakh (Bengali) Puthandu (Tamil) Vishu (Malayalee) Holy days Ekadashi Gowri Habba Karwa Chauth Mahalakshmi Vrata Raksha Bandhan Sankranti Savitri Brata Thaipusam Holy periods Chaturmas Dhanurmas

• Pongal at TheHolidaySpot

Shantanu Moitra (born 1968) is an Indian music director who has composed music for the Hindi film industry, and is most known for his score in films Parineeta (2005), Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2005), "Lage Raho Munnabhai" (2006) and 3 Idiots (2009), and private albums, Mann ke Manjeere and Ab ke Saawan sung by Shubha Mudgal.

Early life and education[link]

He was born in Lucknow, where his father came from a Bengali musical family. He was very young when he moved to Delhi with his family, where initially he lived in Patel Nagar in West Delhi, and studied at Springdales School, Pusa Road, where he was the leader and singer of the band, and in 1982, the band created history of sorts by hosting the school’s first rock show. Meanwhile, they also received musical training, from urban-folk singer, Sushmit Bose, a Springdales alumnus, who would occasionally drop in and teach them. Later he shifted to Chittaranjan Park in South Delhi.^[1][2]

He studied at Delhi University and has a degree in Economics.^[3]

Career[link]

Moitra started his career as a client servicing executive at an ad agency, while music remained a hobby. He started composing music for advertising jingles accidentally, when he was asked to compose a jingle at the last minute by Pradeep Sarkar, then the Creative Head of the agency, the jingle was "Bole mere lips. I love Uncle Chipps" for the chips brand named Uncle Chipps, which became an instant hit, and he later composed several jingles for Pradeep Sarkar, and several advertising brands.^[3][4]

This led to composing music for Indipop albums that were hits including Ab ke Saawan, Mann ke Manjeere: an album of women's dreams for Breakthrough, and Sapna Dekha Hai Maine (2003) for Shubha Mudgal.

Moitra shifted to Mumbai in 2002, when he started working for Sudhir Mishra’s Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, his first signed film,^[5] and soon formed team with lyricist Swanand Kirkire, starting with the song, "Bawara Mann..". Even before Parineeta was made, he had created a song called Raath Hamari To, sung by Chitra, which Vidhu Vinod Chopra the producer of Parineeta heard, and subsequently on his recommendation, he received Parineeta (2005) directed by Pradeep Sarkar and later Eklavya: The Royal Guard directed by Chopra himself.^[6][7][8]

Moitra composed the music in a few films, but gained recognition with his music in Parineeta (2005). His music was critically acclaimed and he received a nomination for the Filmfare Best Music Director Award.^[9] That same year he won the Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent. In 2009, he composed score for his first Bengali film, Antaheen.^[10]

He continues to compose ad jingles, and recently won a Bronze Lion in Cannes in the category of best music for a Happydent advertisement.

Personal life[link]

He is married to Sarada Moitra and the couple have a fourteen year-old son Shubham.^[6]

Filmography[link]

• Aparajita Tumi (2012)
• Shoebite/Johnny Mastana (2011)
• Rajneeti (2010)- Track 'Ishq Barse'
• Well Done Abba (2010) (Completed)
• 3 Idiots (2009)
• Phir Kabhi (2009)
• Antaheen (2009) (Bengali film)
• Welcome to Sajjanpur (2008)
• Laaga Chunari Mein Daag (2007)
• Eklavya: The Royal Guard (2007)
• Khoya Khoya Chand (2007)
• Kal - Yesterday And Tomorrow (2005) ^[11]
• 7½ Phere (2005)
• Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006)
• Yahaan (2005)
• Parineeta (2005)
• Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2005)
• Leela (2002)
• Pyaar Ki Dhun (2002)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Shantanu Moitra, Official website
• Shantanu Moitra at the Internet Movie Database

Usha Uthup
Background information
Birth name	Usha Iyer
Also known as	Didi in Bengali
Born	(1947-11-08) November 8, 1947 (age 64) Mumbai, India[1]
Genres	Pop
Occupations	Singer, Playback singer
Instruments	Vocalist
Years active	1966–present
Website	Official website

Usha Uthup (born November 8, 1947) is a popular Indian pop, jazz and playback singer. She is well known for popular hits in the late 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.^[2][3]

Early life[link]

Usha was born in Mumbai,^[1] in a Tamil Brahmin family that hailed from Tamil Nadu, in Madras (now Chennai) in 1947.

When she was in school she was thrown out of music class because she didn't fit in with a voice like hers. But her music teacher recognized that she had some music in her and would give her clappers or triangles to play. Even though she was not formally trained in music, she grew up in an atmosphere of music. Her parents used to listen to a wide range from Western classical to Hindustani and Carnatic including Kishori Amonkar and Bade Ghulam Ali Khan on radio and she used to join them.^[4] She used to enjoy listening to Radio Ceylon.

Her next door neighbour was S.M.A. Pathan, who was then the deputy commissioner of police. His daughter, Jamila, inspired Usha to learn Hindi, wear salwar kameez and take up Indian classical music. This fusion approach helped her to pioneer her unique brand of Indian pop in the 1970s. She is married to Mr Jani Uthup from Kottayam, Kerala.

She is presently a resident of Kolkata, West Bengal.

Career[link]

Her first public singing occurred when she was nine. Her sisters who were already exploring a music career, took her to a musician called Ameen Sayani who gave her an opportunity to sing on the Ovaltine Music Hour in Radio Ceylon. She sang a number called "Mockingbird Hill". After that, several appearances followed through her teenage years.

Singing career[link]

Uthup started singing in a small nightclub in Chennai called as Nine Gems in the basement of the erstwhile Safire theater complex on Mount Road,^[5] when she was 20, wearing a saree and leg callipers. Her performance was so well received that the owner of the nightclub asked her to stay on for a week.^[6] After her first night club gig, she began singing in Calcutta at night clubs such as "Trincas". She met her future husband Uthup in Trincas. At about the same time, she also sang at "Talk of the Town", now known as "Not Just Jazz By The Bay" in Bombay (now Mumbai).^[7] After Trincas, her next engagement took her to Delhi where she sang at the Oberoi hotels. By happenstance, a film crew belonging to Navketan unit including Shashi Kapoor visited the nightclub and they offered her a chance to sing movie playback. As a result, she started her Bollywood career with Hare Rama Hare Krishna. Originally, she was supposed to sing Dum Maro Dum along with Asha Bhosle. However, as a result of internal politicking on the part of other singers, she lost that chance but ended up singing an English verse.

In 1968, she recorded covers of two pop songs in English, "Jambalaya" and The Kingston Trio's "Greenback Dollar", on an EP, Love Story, and "Scotch and Soda", another Kingston Trio song, which sold very well in the Indian market. She also spent some time in London during this early period. She was a frequent visitor to Vernon Corea's BBC office at the Langham in London and was interviewed on London Sounds Eastern on BBC Radio London. Usha visited Nairobi as part of an Indian festival. She was so popular that she was invited to stay on. Singing and quite often nationalistic songs in Swahili made her extremely popular and the then President Jomo Kenyatta made her an Honorary Citizen of Kenya. She sang the famous song "Malaika" (angel) with Fadhili Williams who was the original singer. She produced a record "live in Nairobi" with a local band Fellini Five.

Uthup sang several songs in the 1970s and 1980s for music directors R D Burman and Bappi Lahiri. She also reprised some of R.D. Burman songs that were sung by others such as Mehbooba Mehbooba and Dum Maro Dum and popularised them to a distinct end.

Uthup sang in Chris Perry's Konkani album Chris Perry Presents Usha - 'Meu Amor' .^[8]

She is currently (2011–2012) a judge on Kuyil Paatu, aired in Kalaignar TV, a popular Tamil TV channel, along with Anuradha Sriram.

Filmography[link]

Some of her famous songs for movies (and associated music directors) include:

In addition, she has also sung as a playback singer for the following Bollywood movies: Dhol (2007), June R (2005), Joggers' Park (2003), Jajantaram Mamantaram (2003), Ek Tha Raja (1996), Dushman Devta (1991), Bhavani Junction (1985), Hum Paanch (1980), and Purab Aur Pachhim (1970) among others.^[9]

She is a stage performer and gave performances all over the world and is known for her lively stage presence. She has been felicitated with several awards over the years, some of which include Rajiv Gandhi Purashkar for National Integration for quality music, Mahila Shiromani Purashkar for international peace, and Channel [V] award for outstanding achievement.

Recordings[link]

She recorded her first album with Luis Banks for which she was paid Rs. 3500. Since then, she has recorded numerous albums. Usha's Hindi version of Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough", titled "Chhupke Kaon Aya", can be found on the album Tom Middleton - The Trip (2004). A cover of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" is on another Tom Middleton album, Cosmosonica - Tom Middleton Presents Crazy Covers Vol. 1 (2005). She recently recorded a song called "Rhythm and Blues" with the Indian rock band Parikrama which appeared on Channel V on April 23, 2007.

Acting career[link]

Uthup is also an actress, often singing and acting in India's signature musical films. In 2006, she acted in the Malayalam movie Pothan Vava as Kurisuveettil Mariamma.

She made a cameo appearance in the movie Bombay To Goa with Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha in 1972. In 2007, she appeared in Bow Barracks Forever directed by Anjun Dutt as herself. Again in 2007, she appeared in Hattrick music video as herself.

She appeared in disguise on Indian Idol 1 and 2. She was one of the co-judges of the 2007 and 2008 & Idea Star Singer Season V (2010) the most rated south Indian reality show as well music oriented reality shows in Malayalam.

She has a minor role in the 2010 Tamil movie Manmadan Ambu, as the mother of Madhavan.

She also acted in Vishal Bhardwaj's 7 Khoon Maaf as a maid. She has also sang a song in the film which released on February 18, 2011. In 2012, she has starred in a Kannada film Parie which is slated for the late April release.

Fashion style[link]

Usha's trademark is her massive bindi and flowers that she wears in her hair, as well as her Kancheepuram saris that she adhere.

Personal life[link]

She is married to Jani Chacko Uthup who is originally from Manganam, Kottayam, and was formerly married to the late Ramu Iyer. They have a daughter Anjali and a son Sunny, named after the song, "Sunny".^[10]

She currently lives in Kolkata with her husband. She is considered an icon of modern Kolkata and is an active social presence in the city life in this city of joy.

Awards[link]

1. Padma Shri (Padma Shri Awards (2010–2011)^[11]) - fourth highest civilian award presented by Government of India

2.Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer : "Darling" from 7 Khoon Maaf (2011) (Shared with Rekha Bhardwaj)
Nominations for:

• the song "One Two Cha ChaCha" from Shalimar (1978)
• the song "Hari Om Hari" from Pyara Dushman (1980)
• the song "Rambha Ho" from Armaan (1981)^[12]

3. 7th Kalakar Awards for Best Audio Album (Bangla) for the album Door DeepBasini (1999)
4.10th Kalakar Awards for Best Audio Album (Bangla) for the album Chai Silpir Samman (2002)
5.12th Kalakar Awards for Best Playback Singer for the film Joggers Park (2004)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website of Usha Uthup
• Usha Uthup at the Internet Movie Database
• Video interview of Usha Uthup
• Usha Uthup at Bollywood Hungama
• "Before Darrrling, Usha Uthup sang these hit songs!". Rediff.com Movies. http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-hit-songs-of-usha-uthup/20110217.htm.