With the Best wishes on BHOGI Festival, here is my article on our beautiful festival. My objective is we should never forget or leave behind the reason for our celebrations on any festival eve.
Bhogi festival is the first festival
of the year celebrated on the last day of the Tamil month of Margazhi, for the
prosperity of every family in the new year. Bhogi festival or Bhogi is the
first day of Pongal and is celebrated in honor of Lord Indra, "the God of
Clouds and Rains". Lord Indra is worshiped for the abundance of harvest,
thereby bringing plenty and prosperity to the land. Thus, this day is also known
as Indran. On Bhogi all people clean out their homes from top to bottom, and
collect all unwanted goods. This day is meant for domestic activities and of
being together with the family members.
Most of the people know Bhogi for another
ritual observed on this day, i.e., Bhogi Mantalu, when useless household
articles are thrown into a fire made of wood and cow-dung cakes. Girls dance
around the bonfire, singing songs in praise of the gods, the spring and the
harvest. The significance of the bonfire, in which is burnt the agricultural
wastes and firewood is to keep warm during the last lap of winter.
One more happy & beautiful ritual
celebrated on this day is the infants and children at home are blessed for health and wealth with “BHOGI Fruits”('Jujubee' or ' Indian Berry') by
everyone.
All the houses from the richest to the humblest are thoroughly
scrubbed and whitewashed. Homes are cleaned and decorated with
"Kolam" - floor designs drawn in the white paste of newly harvested
rice with outlines of red mud. Often pumpkin flowers are set into cow-dung
balls and placed among the patterns. Fresh harvest of rice, turmeric and
sugarcane is brought in from the field as preparation for the following day.
Mythology
The Bhogi festival according to
some is also a commemoration of the lifting of mount
Govardhan by lord Krishna
when he was still very young. According to the Vishnu-Purana the people of
Gokul used to celebrate a festival in honour of lord Indra and worshiped him at
the end of every monsoon. Even as a child, lord Krishna decided to teach a
lesson to lord Indra who became arrogant after becoming the king of all
deities.
One particular year the young Krishna
asked all the cowherds to stop worshiping Indira.This angered lord Indra and in
a fit of anger sent a deluge to submerge Gokul. People were scared and realised
that the downpour was due to their neglect of Indra. But Krishna
assured them that no harm would take place. He lifted mount Govardhan
with his little finger and sheltered men and beasts from the rain. This gave
him the epithet Govardhandhari. Later, lord Indra realized his mistake and
divine power of Krishna and accepted the supremacy of Krishna.
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