Pongal

Pongal   is a   harvest festival   celebrated by Tamil people at the end of the harvest season. Pongal is a four day festival which usually takes place from January 13 to 16.   It is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the   Tamil people   in the Indian state of   Tamil Nadu , the Indian Union Territory of   Puducherry , and Sri Lanka . In Tamil, the word   Pongal   means "overflowing" which signifies abundance and prosperity. On the day of Pongal, at the time of sun rise there is a symbolic ritual of boiling fresh milk in a new clay pots and when the milk boils over and bubbles out of the vessel, people shout "Pongalo Pongal!   Pongal is mainly celebrated to convey the appreciation and thankfulness to the   Sun   as it act as the primary energy behind agriculture and a good harvest.

BY JAYANTIKA
( Student of St. Mark's Sr. Sec. Public School, Janakpuri)

Onam

Onam is an ancient festival which still survives in modern times. Kerala's rice   harvest festival   and the Festival of Rain Flowers, which fall on the Malayalam month of Chingam, celebrates the Asura King Mahabali's annual visit from   Patala   (the underworld ). Onam is unique since Mahabali has been revered by the people of Kerala since prehistory.The King is so much attached to his kingdom that it is believed that he comes annually from the nether world to see his people living happily. It is in honour of King Mahabali that Onam is celebrated. The deity Vamana, also called Onatthappan,   is also revered during this time by installing a clay figure next to the floral carpet (Pookalam) .The birthday of   Sri Padmanabhan , the presiding Deity of Thiruvananthapuram, is on the Thiruvonam day in the month of Chingam. 

The   Vallamkali   (the snake boat race) is a event that is synonymous with Onam. Well-known races include the   Aranmula Boat Race   and the   Nehru Trophy Boat Race . About 100 oarsmen row huge and graceful snake boats and men and women come from far and near to watch the snake boats skim through the water.

By Aman
( Student of St. Mark's Sr. Sec. Public School, Janakpuri)

India is the country of festivals. Different festivals are celebrated in different states. LOHRI is main festival of NORTH INDIA . It is a harvest festival, as RABI CROPS [winter crops] are harvested, during this period.

It comes in the mid of JANUARY , as Earth at-this time farthest from sun starts its journey towards the sun, ending the coldest month of the year.
The Hindus take bath in the GANGES .

In the morning on LOHRI day , children go from door to door singing and demandig ‘Lohri' in the form of money and eatables like til [ sesame]. They sing in praise of DULLAH BHATTI, a punjabi avtar of ROBINHOOD who robbed the rich to help the poor.

It is celebrated with great pomp and show . In the evening huge bonfires are lit in the fields or courtyard of the house. All family members gather together around it and put pesanuts,popcorn,sesame,jaggery into the fire, they do dance around it on the beat of DHOL. The first lohri of newbride or a newborn baby is considered important.

In other states it is celebrated as Pongal, Makar Sankranti and Uttarayan . These all festivals communicate message of oneness, brotherhood.

BY HARSHITA KHATRI
( Student of St. Mark's Sr. Sec. Public School , Janakpuri)