Traditional games add colour to Maattu Pongal

Coimbatore: Jallikattu and rekla races added colour to Maattu Pongal celebrations in southern districts on Wednesday, while traditional games such as “vazhukka maram” and “uri adikkaradhu”, and pujas marked the occasion in western districts.
In the district, Maattu Pongal was celebrated in all the farms and households across the district and at the Madeshwaran Temple, also called the Big Temple, on Thadagam Road.

The farms and households owning cows used the opportunity to deck up their cattle and pray for their fertility. Farmers started their day by bathing their cows and calves early in the morning and adorned them with turmeric and kumkum. “We also painted their horns in bright colours of red, orange and blue. Some even dressed the cows in pure silk cloths,” said Varadharaj, a cattle farmer from Periyanaickenpalayam.

The cows were fed the traditional “sakkarai Pongal”, fruits and fresh fodder. “We then drew the traditional nine-square puja formation, filling each square with offerings, and made our cows and calves walk through them,” he said.

“We thanked the cattle for the milk and income they provide us and prayed for prosperity,” said T Senthil, another farmer, who owns six cows.

The Madeshwaran or Big Temple opposite the Aavin office on Thadagam Road saw grand celebrations, with its giant sized Nandhi idol decked with sandal, turmeric and several tonnes of fruits. Hundreds of cows were brought to the temple from Wednesday afternoon to offer prayers and ask for blessings.

Streets across the town had small stages where games for children and dance programmes were organized. The day also featured traditional games like “vazhukka maram”, where a thick bamboo stalk is made slippery by applying oil and a prize is tied to the top. The person, who manages to climb the stalk, gets the prize.

Another traditional game was “uri adikkaradhu”, where a large earthen pot was tied to a string at a certain height. The person who manages to hit the earthen pot wins the prize.

On Tuesday, Pongal was celebrated with almost every household preparing Pongal in the traditional manner in an earthen pot by placing it on top of firewood. They used boiled rice to make “ven Pongal” and “sakkarai Pongal”. People, who visited their native towns and villages, paid visit to their family temples to offer prayers.