Mattu Pongal 2023: History And Significance Of Festival Celebrated In Tamil Nadu

People in rural Tamil Nadu celebrate Mattu Pongal by worshipping the cattle

Mattu Pongal 2023.

Pongal, a festival that is celebrated in Tamil Nadu, is a four-day event. The first day is called Bhogi followed by Thai Pongal, Mattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal. Mattu Pongal is observed on Monday, January 16, 2023. Mattu means 'bull' in Tamil and as they play a major role in farming, the people worship cows and bulls on Mattu Pongal.  

Bhogi is celebrated by burning down old articles to mark the end of winter, Thai Pongal is celebrated by worshipping the Sun God for prosperity and people in rural Tamil Nadu celebrate Mattu Pongal by worshipping the cattle. On this day, people decorate cows and bulls with different colours to worship but they are given a well-deserved rest on this day.

People celebrate Mattu Pongal by gathering and having a feast together. In rural Tamil Nadu, farmers along with their cattle go to their farms and perform poojas and other rituals before having a grandeur lunch.

During Mattu Pongal, Jallikattu, a bull-taming sport, is played by the people and it is popular in the Madurai district. This sport is conducted as part of the Pongal celebrations in central Tamil Nadu. Besides Madurai, Pudukottai, Tichy and Dindigul are the districts where Jallikattu is conducted with great enthusiasm, especially among the youths. On Sunday, over 60 bull tamers have been injured during the event at Avaniyapuram in Madurai district. On Monday, Jallikattu is being conducted in Palamedu in the same district.

"On Sunday we had around 60 injured people, 20 were a little serious and were referred to Rajaji Hospital. 40 others with minor injuries were given first aid and they went back home. There has been no casualty," said Madurai District Collector Aneesh Sekhar, as quoted by news agency ANI.

History Of Mattu Pongal

Spiritually, it is believed that Lord Shiva cursed his bull, Basava, banishing him to live on the earth forever after he mistakenly interprets what Shiva told him and announced something exactly opposite to people on Earth. The reason behind Basava being cursed is once, Lord Shiva asked him to go to earth and ask the people to have an oil massage and bath every day and to eat once a month while the bull misinterprets and tells the people to have bath once a month and eat everyday.

People in Tamil Nadu take the opportunity of Mattu Pongal to worship their Basava. They bow down in front of their cow or bull after decorating them with different colours.