Author - Virarajendra
A Brief Historical Study of the Origin and Development of the Tamil Thai Pongal Vilaa
under construction
The origin of the Tamil Thai Pongal Vilaa
From the ancient times the life of the Tamil people of Tamil Nadu fell within five geographical regions of their country namely the Kurinji Nilam, Mullai Nilam, Marutha Nilam, Neithal Nilam and Paalai Nilam.
(1) Kurunji Nilam was a region with hills and land associated with hills
God Murugan was considered as the deity of this region.
(2) Mullai Nilam was a region with forests and land associated with forests
God Thirumaal was considered as the deity of this region.
(3) Marutha Nilam was a region with paddy fields and land associated with paddy fields
God Indiran was considered as the deity of this region.
(4) Neithal Nilam was a region with seafronts and land associated with seafronts
God Varunan was considered as the deity of this region.
(5) Paalai Nilam was a region with no water and vegetation
Normally abandoned by people.
The people of Marutha Nilam were Farmers working in paddy fields who cultivated and provided rice to all which was the staple food not only to the very people of Marutha Nilam the Farmers, but also to the people living in the other three geographical regions of Tamil Nadu. This created a great demand for rice and necessiating much cultivation and harvesting of paddy which found ready market among the people of Tamil Nadu.
As a result the coffers of the Farmers filled in, and the Farmer community became very wealthy and gradually maintained a higher standard of living compared with the people of the other regions of Tamil Nadu. This gave a new outlook to the Farmers in the Tamil society who were known as "Vellaaler", and in view of their better standards of living were considered as “high caste” people by the people of the other regions.
The paddy produced needed proper marketing to reap the benefits of production, and from the Vellaaler (farmers) community a new community branched off known as the Vanikar (traders). The Vanikars started with their sales activities in paddy, but subsequently they spread their sales also in the other commodities of their region and the other regions. These two communities by way of their mode of earning became much wealthy and maintained a better standard of living and earned much respect among the people of all societies.
These two communities celebrated festivals as a matter of thanksgiving to the God Indiran who graced them with all wealth and prosperity in life, by blessing them with a rich harvest and sales of their paddy to all communities of the Tamil Nadu. This festivals was celebrated with Pongal ceremony in which the first measure of harvested new Rice was boiled with Milk and was offered to God Indiran with other food offerings followed by Poosai valipadukal.
The early development as a festival to God Indiran
In the early days itself this festival in the name of God Indiran (the God of Rains) of the region the Marutha Nilam, gradually came to be celebrated by not only the Vellaler and Vanikar communities but also by all other communities within Tamil Nadu. In the Chola country of the second century A.D. it ended up as a big festival celebrated on the Chiththirai Natchaththiram day of the month of Chiththirai as "Indira Vilaa" especially in the region of Kaviripoompattinam of Chola Nadu patronised by the ruling Chola kings.
Silappathikarem the Tamil Epic of the second century A.D describes the festival offering to God Indra as follows:
".....Thevar Komaan (God Indran) ervalit poantha Kavat poothatthu kadaikelu peedikai, pulukkalum noalayum, vilukkudai madaiyum, povum, pukaiyum, Pongalum sorinthu Thunangaiyar kuravai anangelunthu aadi......"
Silappathikaram - by Ilango Adikal, Indira Vilaa vureduththa kaathai
However during the Silappathikarem and Manimekalai period a great sea erosion (tsunami) swept the Chola capital city the Kaviripoompattinam and this city submerged under the sea. This put an end to the great festival celebrated by the Vellalas and Vanigars around A.D.175. Thereafter this celebration continued to be celebrated in the name of God Indiran by the Vellaalers and Vanigars in a moderate way, until the invasion of Tamil Nadu by the Kalabras (Kalappirar) from present Karnataka state, who actively spread their religion the Jainism over the other religions of then Tamil Nadu.
Note: The earlier connection of Pongal Vilaa with God Indra is further confirmed by the present Bogi Pandikai celebrated the day prior to Thai Pongal, as Bogi was another name for God Indira.
The subsequent development as a festival to God Suuriyan
However during this period the thanks giving ceremony continued among the Tamil community, but with the Tamil Nadu coming under Kalabras and with the religious calamity in Tamil Nadu, the earlier religious 'traditions' of Vellaalers and Vanikars gradually been forgotton. It gradually took a new form as the ceremony to Sun God who helped them in their successful harvest instead of God Indiran who helped them with rain to reap good harvest, and celebrated on the first day of the Tamil month Thai being the 'first new month following after their paddy harvest' in the Tamil month of Markali.
The worship of Sun God in Tamil Nadu had been there even during the period of Silappathikaram days. The poet Ilango Adihal before he started to compose this Silappathikarem makes his salutations to the Sun God as “Gnayiru pottruthum Gnayiru pottruthum" in his great Tamil epic poem.
A Website with more information at the following URL
http://www.pongalfestival.org/pongal-articles.html
being continued