I wish all fellow Hindus a very happy Thai Ponggal. I just finished the ponggal and prayers during sunrise. This festival is only 2nd to Deepavali here and in Tamil Nadu it is a premier festival. It is also called harvesting festival.

Pongaloh! pongal.

Thandabani

HAPPY PONGAL-OFCOURSE BELATED GREETINGS

Sri Bani, SSR, Mukunda and others,

Can you give me the recipe for sweet and khara pongal rice preparation (tamil style).

Thanks

Sweet Pongal:- (there may be different ways of preparation.How we prepare in our family)350 ml(milli litre) of "Full Cream" milk and 300 ml of water in a heavy bottom (like copper bottom- Stainless steel vessel).Bring to boil.Add carefully 100 grams pre-washed rice+30 grams of dehusked green gram(Mung dhal) in the boiling mixture-continue to boil till the rice and dhal are done.Take one rice-cool well-sqeeze between finger tips to see the rice is completly "Done"-For "Thai Pongal" we add only "Unrefined-Sugar"-of "Good' colour-not black-Vellam in Tamil-Bellam in Telugu-Gud in Hindi.(I specifically avoid the word "brown-sugar for obvious reasons)-to taste -mild/medium/very sweet.Again the whole mixture would become watery due to "water in Gud"."simmer the heat' and continue to heat till almost all water is evaperated.separately heat pure Ghee(clarified butter(3-4 table spoons)in a wide mouthed cast iron-spoon-add cashew nuts-kismis (raisins)-when cashew becomes "golden-brown" add to pongal.Seperately add raw powdered cardamam and one or two stalks of pure saffron(pre-dissolved in cold milk).Mix-cool-serve may be for 3 people.----------
I don't understand what do you mean by "Khara Pongal"-is it "Pulihotharai"?-then our friend sri.Mukundha should be the right person.If it is "Bisi Bela Huli "(you sri.Murali should know better)SriVaishnavaites prepare another Sweet-Rice called "Akkaara Vatisal"-Excellent preparation- sri.Mukundha may know.

Dr.SSR,

Thanks for the above. I surely appreciate it. My wife makes khara pongal without the sweet, but she says she cannot prepare it as good as the tamilians do. She was born and raised in Madras. I shall give her the recipe you have given. I am sure she will be happy.

Regards,
Murali

Next grand celebration is the Thaipusam festival. It is celebrated in a very grand manner in all Murugan temples here. 5 states declares public holiday during this day. This year it falls on the 21/1/2000.

The Batu Caves temple where the Thaipusam is the grandest in the world, which attracts about 1 million people and has been rated as the most grandest Hindu festival outside India. One should not miss this festival during one's lifetime. The admirable part is the mixture of all races from throughout the world for this 1 day festival. Kavadi bearers alone exceed 15,000 devotees. Droves and droves of people will be walking up the 272 steps to pay their penances to Lord Murugan.

Keep an eye on CNN to get a glimes of the festival.

Thandabani