Happy Ponggal !!

Dear people,

Today marks my debut into the world of blogging.For the longest time i've had this yearning to blog and i've chosen today because of its significance,Ponggal festival.The Ponggal festival is originally celebrated in TamilNadu,India by farmers as a thanksgiving celebration to Mother Earth and Lord Surya for blessing them with good harvests over the year.It marks the beginning of the auspicious month of Thai.The popular adage goes 'தை பிறந்தால் வழி பிறக்கும்(Thai piranthal vaali pirakkum)' means ' the birth of Thai will open paths to new opportunities in life '.Its a four day celebration beginning on the last day of the month of Marghali( Bhogi Pandigai ) until the third day of Thai ( Thai Ponggal,Maatu Ponggal and Kanni Ponggal )according to the Hindu calendar.
I'd like to share a piece of interesting info i've found on the Internet,its about the cultural significance and epic references of the Thai Ponggal festival ;-

The Puranas say that on this day Sun visits the house of his son Shani, who is the devata of Makara Rashi. These father & son do not ordinarily get along nicely, but in spite of any difference between each other Lord Sun makes it a point to meet each other on this day. Father in fact himself comes to his son’s house, for a month. Hence this day symbolized the importance of special relationship of father & son. It is the son who has the responsibility to carry forward his father’s dream and the continuity of the family.

 • It was on this day when Lord Vishnu ended the ever increasing terrorism of the Asuras by finishing them off and burying their heads under the Mandar Parvat. So this occasion also represents the end of negativities and beginning of an era of righteous living.

• The great savior of his ancestors, Maharaj Bhagirath, did great Tapasya to bring Ganga (or Ganges) down on the earth for the redemption of 60,000 sons of Maharaj Sagar, who were burnt to ashes at the Kapil Muni Ashram, near the present day Ganga Sagar. It was on this day that Bhagirath finally did tarpan with the Ganges water for his unfortunate ancestors and thereby liberated them from the curse. After visiting the Patala for the redemption of the curse of Bhagirath’s ancestors Ganga finally merged in the Sagar. Even today a very big Ganga Sagar Mela is organized every year on this day at the confluence of River Ganges and the Bay of Bengal. Lakhs take dip in the water and do tarpan for their ancestors.

• Another well-known reference of this day came when the great grandsire of Mahabharata fame, Bhishma, declared his intent to leave his mortal coil on this day. He had the boon of Ichha-Mrityu from his father, so he kept lying on the bed of arrows till this day and then left his mortal coil on Makar Sankranthi day. It is believed that the person, who dies during the period of Uttarayana, becomes free from transmigration.

So this day was seen as a sureshot Good Luck day to start your journey or endeavors to the higher realms beyond.



Thiruvalluvar Day {திருவள்ளுவர் தினம்}
Thiruvalluvar Day is celebrated on the day after Pongal pandigai. Great sage & poet Thiruvalluvar, believed to have born 30 (thirty) years before Jesus Christ. (Refer http://www.tn.gov.in/literature/thiruvalluvar/thiruvalluvar.htm) Government of Tamil Nadu has created a Tamil Calendar and it is dated from that period and referred to as “Thiruvalluvar Aandu” (Year). Thirukkural, written by poet Thiruvalluvar, is the masterpiece of Tamil literature with the highest and purest expressions of human thought. It is written in the form of couplets (two line poems) expounding various aspects of life. It contains 1330 couplets, divided into 133 chapters of 10 couplets each. Thirukkural's immortality and universality are unquestionable. Its ethics and values are applicable to all religions, countries and time. It has been translated in over 60 languages of the world. Government of Tamil Nadu and various organisation conducts programs on this Thiruvalluvar Day to honour the great sage and poet Thiruvalluvar.

Thus ladies and gentlemen is the reason why i've chosen today to launch my new avatar of 2010,BLOGGER.
A new leaf has turned,another feather to my cap has been added.A new path has been chartered,as the adage goes,'Thai piranthal vaali pirakkum'.

The path has now opened for me to catapult myself to greater heights in life.

Like the pouring milk from the pot,may your lives be enriched with pure love and compassion.
Health,wealth,prosperity,wisdom,happiness and joy will follow suit in abundance :)

May the blessings be !!


With love and passion,
Amreish Siman