Makara Sankaranthi

Makara Sankaranthi or Pongal is the Harvest festival celebrated in India. This festival holds a very special place in my heart. My father’s birthplace is a small town/village in Southern India. I remember celebrating this festival with my grandmother and all the cousins in the house. The festival is celebrated very traditionally with the cows being bought in for the puja. Also since we come from a agricultural family the significance of the festival is truly understood sand celebrated.

I miss being in India for the festivals and one thing I greatly miss during this festival is chewing on fresh, juicy Sugarcane that comes just harvested from the fields. As a child I remember spending hours outside chewing the karumbu!

Also I love the part where we bring our cow inside the house for doing the maatu/Cow Pooja. the poor cow would be so scared to enter the house. I would be waiting for the time when they bring the cow in.

I am sharing few of the recipes that I have in my space for the festival.