Kanumu Festival

Kanumu Festival

The fourth and the last day of Pongal is known as Kanumu. Kaanum Pongal means seeing Pongal as this day marks as the sightseeing day. On this day, people dress up gaily, families go for picnic and visit relatives and make a tour of the town or the city they reside. It is a day for the outdoors and most people throng out of home in the evening, making for a sea of humanity. This is a day to spend time and entertainment outside.

During Kanumu, blessings are received from elders. In Tamil Nadu, this day is also known as Virgin Pongal and is celebrated by unmarried girls by playing in the river and making pongal and eating it there. It's customary for locals to give new clothes and money to the maids and servants employed in the house

Kaanum is also the Tamil version of brother's day. On this day, the women folk offer different kinds of rice to birds and pray for the well-being of their brothers. This ritual is called "Kanu". Sisters visit their brothers and inquire about their welfare. Women eat the previous day's food and pray for their brother's prosperity and health.

Being the last day of Pongal, the farmer's rest and celebrate this day in high spirit. People worship their ancestors and venerate their elders. It is the time for relaxing after the 3 days of festivities. People go out along with family and friends and have a nice day of outing. In the villages, the shop owners or employers of firms give benevolent gifts to their employees as a token of gratitude for their good work all through the year.

Makar Sankranti

Pongal | Makar Sankranti | Kanumu | Lohri | 
Bihu / Bohaggiyo Bhishu Bhogi | Thai Pongal |  Hadaga Festival

Makar Sankranti is one of the most auspicious day for the Hindus, and is celebrated in almost all parts of the country in myriad cultural forms, with great devotion, fervor & gaiety. The festival of Makar Sankrant traditionally coincides with the beginning of the Sun's northward journey (the Uttarayan) when it enters the sign of Makar (the Capricorn). It falls on the 14th of January every year according to the Solar Calendar. Lakhs of people take a dip in places like Ganga Sagar & Prayag and pray to Lord Sun.

Celebration
It is celebrated with pomp in southern parts of the country as Pongal, and in Punjab is celebrated as Lohri & Maghi. Rajasthan & Gujarati not only look reverentially up to the sun, but also offer thousands of their colorful oblations in the form of beautiful kites all over the skyline. The Festival introduces kite enthusiasts world-wide to the intriguing beauty and cultural diversity of India.

Regional Significance
In Uttar Pradesh, Sankrant is called 'Khichiri'. Taking a dip in the holy rivers on this day is regarded as most auspicious. A big one-month long 'Magha-Mela' fair begins at Prayag (Allahabad) on this occasion. Apart from Triveni, ritual bathing also takes place at many places like Haridvar and Garh Mukteshwar in Uttar Pradesh, and Patna in Bihar.

In Bengal every year a very big Mela is held at Ganga Sagar where the river Ganga is believed to have dived into the nether region and vivified the ashes of the sixty thousand ancestors of King Bhagirath. In Maharashtra on the Sankranti day people exchange multi-colored tilguds made from til (sesame seeds) and sugar and til-laddus made from til and jaggery.

In Gujarat there is a custom of giving gifts to relatives. The Gujarati Pundits on this auspicious day grant scholarships to students for higher studies in astrology and philosophy. Kite flying has been associated with this festival in a big way. It has become an internationally well-known event.