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Festivals Of Tamil
Nadu
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Pongal
The four-day Harvest festival is celebrated all over the state in January.
The festival begins on the last day of the Tamil month
with Bhogi Pongal followed by Surya Pongal on the
next day. It is on this
day that Chakkara Pongal, a delicacy of harvest rice cooked with jaggery,
ghee and cashew nuts is offered to the Sun God. The third day,
Mattu
Pongal is dedicated to the Cattle when cows are bathed and adomed with
colourful beads and flowers. Jallikattu, the bullfight is held on the last
day known as Kannum Pongal. |
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Skanda
Sashti
Skanda Sashti is celebrated in Saivite temples all over
Tamilnadu on the sixth day in the holy half of the month of Aippasi (Oct 15 - Nov
15). Legend is that Skanda Sashti is celebrated
on the destruction of evil by the Lord Kartikeya, son of
Shiva. When it comes to celebration there must be mention of the grand celebrations at Tirupparankunram, Tiruchendur, two of the 6 'Padai Veedu' temples of Murugan. At
Sikkal, the festival image of Subramanya receives a spear, from the Ambal
shrine, and breaks out in sweat, a day before the climax of the
festival. |
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Bhramotsavam
In most of the South Indian temples
Bhramotsavam is celebrated. This is a ten day long festival
with the procession of festival images on gaily decorated mounts. Srinivasa Bhattar
and Koti Sreekrishna of Cincinnati, present the significance of Bhramotsavam in
SriVaishnava temples, and describe the daily events in the 9 day long Bhramotsavam at
Tirupati. |
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