Mattu Pongal, 3rd Day of Pongal

Mattu Pongal

The third day of Pongal is dedicated to cattle and is called Mattu Pongal. People offer prayers to the bulls, cows and other farm animals. Cows and bulls have always held a special place in India. Cows give milk while bulls and oxen help plough the fields. Thus, on Maatu Pongal the farmers honor the cows and bulls by celebrating it as a day of thanks-giving to them.

On this day the cattle are washed, their horns are painted and covered with shining metal caps. Multi-colored beads, tinkling bells, flower garlands are tied around their necks. They are fed with. Devotees pay their respect to cows by touching their foreheads, followed by an aarthi (showing fire to the object of praise) and offering the cattle prasadam (food offering, in this case, Pongal).

A sport called Jallikattu is held in many places on this day. Bundles of money are tied to the horns of ferocious bulls and let loose in a big ground one by one. All the men get into the ground and whoever is daring can go and get the prize money.

Happy Pongal – Pongal O Pongal

Cows roaming on the highway

A cow sitting in the middle of the traffic

Our neighborhood cows

Anne posing with a carving of a Cow licking its calf in Mahabalipuram dating back to the 8th century