Pongal is among the best known festivals and certainly one of the major festivals in Tamil Nadu , India . It is today observed by Tamilians around the world. The four day festival falls in the Tamil month of Thai (January – February). It celebrates the harvest, especially the rice crop, and is considered to be an ancient form of thanksgiving. The festival is named after the rice pudding or Pongal prepared on the festival day. Pongal is an ancient festival and its origin can be traced back to the Sangam Era (200 BC – 300 AD). The entire festival even today maintains the Dravidian practices and is untouched by external influences including Aryan. The first day of the festival is known as Bhogi Pongal . The second day is the Suryan Pongal or the Perum Pongal. The third day is the Mattu Pongal or the Pongal of cattle. The fourth day is the Kannum Pongal . The Surya Pongal or Perum Pongal is the most important day and is dedicated to Lord Surya – Sun god. It is on th

One caste, one religion, one God for man; one form and the same blood in all; I cannot find any differences. There is no reason for caste differences among human beings. All those who possess humanity are human beings. Just as there are different languages and different systems, though human beings seem to be different, there can be no reason for caste differences. Humanity is common to all. Men may differ in their faiths, their languages and their modes of dressing; but there can be no evil in inter-dining and inter-marriage, because all belong to the same kind of creation. Sri Narayana Guru