Tamil - The Fairs and Festivals

Home
Introduction
Contact
Places to see
Wallpapers
My Favourite Actress
My Favourite Actor
Guestbook
My Favourite Trailers
Learn Tamil in easy way
The History
The Geography
The Flora
The Fauna
Map
The Seasons...
The Climate
The People
The Culture
The Customs
The Lifestyle
The Languages
The Religions
Tamil Song Lyrics
The Fairs and Festivals

Avimanyu Ghosh

Most of the Festivals of the State have a religious import . Legends have grown connecting some festivals with mythological events. Every month, when then moon enters the constellation of Kritika. Tamils throngs the temple of Lord Muruga and worship him.

Pongal is the main festival of Tamil Nadu. Celebrated for four days commencing from the last day of Margazhi (December - January), this is a festival of thanksgiving were the peasant worships the sun, the earth, and the cattle for all their bounties. The first day of the festival called Bhogi, is spent in feasting and merry making. On the second day which is Pongal, the people worship the sun. Sugercane and turmeric, sheaves of paddy and rice cooked with lentil, jaggery, milk and ghee are devoutly offered in the worship. On the third day, the cow is worshipped. The last day is full of fun and gaity. Bull racing is the common feature of the festival, the nature of this pastime varying in different parts of Tamil Nadu.

Besides, there are seasonal festivals in the temples all around the year. The Chitirai festival at Madhurai in April - May and Vaikunda Ekadasi at Srirangam in December - January are two of the major festivals. Most of the temples celebrate the float festival in February - March when the temple idol is taken in a decorated float round the temple tank. There are puppet shows, dummy horse dance (Puraviattam) and a number of other forms of entertainment. Life  in Tamil Nadu is well embroidered by these picturesque festivals.