SHANKARANTI & PONGAL

SHANKARANTI &  PONGAL :

 

• Shankarnti / pongal is celebrated on Jan 14^th (Rarely Jan 15^th)
• This is harvest festival, Thanking Sun god / SURIYAN(Farmers celebrate in an elaborate way)
• On this day, Entrance of house is decorated well with colourful rangolies with kaavi, Mango leaves/ flower thorana to give a festive look.
• In Pooja room, regular pooja is done.
• Prepare sweet pongal. Keep it on a small rangoli put in pooja room.
• Pongal is kept as neivedyam to God. This Pongal and Ellu+Chutney kadalai+Jaggery pieces+Sarkarai achu, Sugarcane pieces all are distributed as Prasad among friends and relatives.

PONGAL PREPARATION :

(This is a very easy way of making SWEET PONGAL)

 

• Gas stove is cleaned well and decorated with Rangoli.
• A small brass pot is cleaned well and decorated (Ring around its neck with chunna and kumkum bottus around it. Fresh turmeric plant is tied on its neck.
• Fill the pot- half- with milk.
• Meantime, in the cooker, keep 1 cup rice (new rice if available) + ¼ cup moong dal + 3 cups water – in low flame – upto 4 whistles
• During the auspicious time (suba murutha time), boil the milk in low flame until the milk overflows.
• Let the milk overflow the pot, add the cooked moong dal + rice to the pot, and mix well. All surrounding shout “PONGALO PONGAL”, thank Lord Suriyan, for all he has given us.
• Slowly take out little milk , which will be extra, out of the pot.
• The remaining mix of milk, rice and dal are let to boil well for 5 min
• Add jaggery powder / grated jaggery ½ cup and let it boil until jaggery gets mixed completely
• Now add ¼ cup ghee
• Keep stiring and boiling until the pongal thickens well
• Add 1 pinch of PACHAI KARPOORAM (got in stores) for nice aroma and taste to the pongal
• Garnish with ghee roasted cashews ¼ cup