PONGAL CELEBRATIONS (FESTIVAL OF HARVEST) : A MESSAGE OF ONENESS OF HUMANITY By Nandhi Varman
TamilBrisbane
HUMANITY By Nandhi Varman
http://www.tamilbrisbane.com/content/view/359/1/
UNIVERSAL FESTIVAL OF HARVEST
Tamils are celebrating Pongal. This festival of harvest is universal
one practiced by remote tribes on earth and people of various cultures,
which again proves the oneness of humanity. Slav people had their sun
deities. They were called Svarog, Dazhbog, and Khors.The word god (bag)
is same in all Slavic languages. You can see the resemblance with
Iranian baga and Indian bhagwan with the Slavic bag. These similarities
also remind us that beliefs are universal.
In the Volga region when the Sun was moving in the direction of spring,
people came together to forecast the future harvest. The Mari and
Chuvashes, tribal groups in Volga region prepared special food for this
festival of harvest. These festivals were connected with first
ploughing and sowing. The festivities took place in the field. A little
bit of food was sacrificed to Mother Earth.
The Zulus of South Africa worshipped the Goddess Nomkubulwana. They
believed that this goddess made land fertile and was the mythical
originator of agriculture. Only women did all farming work among Zulu
tribes and they only performed rites and chanted prayers for a good
harvest.
Almost all people of the Caucasus region worshipped guardians of
harvest and other kind of livestock. Does it make us think about Maattu
Pongal, thanksgiving to cattle prevalent among Tamil people.
Celtic gods were guardians of fertility and agriculture. River Gods and
Spring Gods were existent. Esus was the god of plant life.
In Mexico the agrarian influence could be seen in the Uitzilopochtti
cult. During the celebrations held twice a year an enormous dummy of
the God was made out of flour dough and honey. After the religious
rites are over the figure was broken into pieces and eaten by all the
participants.
In the Chinese civilization the cult of Shen-nong i.e Divine Farmer is
note worthy. The legendary Divine Farmer is supposed to have invented
agriculture. A special sacrificial altar was devoted to him in Peking,
where the emperor solemnly brought offerings. In early spring every
year an important state ceremony was held to mark the first ploughing
season. The Chinese Emperor accompanied by prominent dignitaries
ploughed a furrow on a sacred plot of the land. The God of the land was
known as She and peasants offered sacrifices to her as part of spring
and autumn rituals.
In the Shintoist religion of Japan the most revered Gods are Amaterasu
i.e Sun Goddess and Inari i.e Rice Man, the guardian of farming
portrayed with two rice stalks and often together with a Fox.
In the ancient Egyptian religion the God Osiris deserves mention. Every
year Egyptians celebrated the death and resurrection of Osiris. The
image of Osiris was made out of sown wheat on the layer of soil that
was sprinkled into a special wooden frame. These festivities lasted 18
days and involved ritual plouging and sowing. Osiris is the direct
personification of grain.
In Asia Minor the Mother of the Gods was named Ma, Rhea, and Cybele.
Her husband was a young god of fertility named as Attis. There is also
another myth about the deity of plant life and fertility. God Telepinus
once suddenly disappeared it is stated. Because of his disappearance
grass dried up. Fields failed to yield crops. Cattle stopped
multiplying. Woman no longer bore children. To put an end to this state
of affairs the other gods organized a search for this God. A bee found
him and awakened him, so goes the myth.
In Greek religion in the agricultural cult Demeter, the goddess was
offered with bloodless offerings like fruits, grapes, honey combs and
freshly reared sheep wool. These offerings were placed on an altar and
covered with olive oil. Numerous such stories, myths and beliefs could
be found in various civilizations. The Greek Goddess Hera wife of God
Zeus was apparently a cow goddess. Signs of cow worship were found in
excavations. It is heartening to note that Tamils worshipping cow
goddess in Maattu Pongal times is a practice found in Greek
civilization too.
In the Roman religion in the first month of spring March , festivities
were held in honour of Mars. Faunus was the guardian angel of
livestocks and he was the god of shepherds. At the end of winter on Feb
17 a jolly holiday Lupercalis was celebrated in her honour. Liber was
the god of wine making. Saturnus the god of sowing. Jupiter the god of
grapes.
Romans too worshipped gods as Pax (Peace), Spes (Hope), and Virtus(
valour), Justitia (Justice), Fortuna( Happiness) etc. If we analyze at
the concepts on religion in various cultures we can understand its
inherent meanings. Mankind had been striving to be grateful to Nature
and agricultural festivities like Pongal demonstrate this common urge
of human race, which is one and indivisible. While Tamil people hail
Pongalo Pongal and thank Nature for its kindness, Harvest festivals of
various civilizations reminds us that our festival has universal
appeal.
By Nandhi Varman