Traditional offerings: Sweet ponggal and kadambam rice being prepared with pots placed on top of a bed of red bricks which are spread with dry cow dung during the Ponggal celebration at Veeramuthu Sree Maha Mariamman Temple. — KT GOH/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: The tradition of drawing a kolam on an evenly spread bed of dried cow dung in front of a house or temple during religious festivals or on auspicious days is a practice that is fading away with time.
However, committee members of Veeramuthu Sree Maha Mariamman Temple here have been steadfastly continuing this ritual for Ponggal annually since the temple was established 12 years ago.Temple committee chairman M. Karthi, 45, said on the eve of Ponggal this year, cow dung was mixed with water and turmeric into a thick consistency and evenly spread across the temple entrance.
“We did it one day before Ponggal so that the layer of cow dung can dry up and be ready for the kolam to be drawn on it.
“We want to continue this tradition because such practices are slowly fading away as houses and temples are no more built of mud or clay these days and the floors are completely made of concrete,” he said when met at the temple in Jalan Tun Dr Awang, Sungai Tiram, Bayan Lepas yesterday.
Throughout ancient times, dried cow dung was a valuable resource in countries like India and Africa. It was widely used in agriculture, construction, culture and as a fuel source in areas where firewood was scarce.
Temple adviser SV Manimaran explained another reason for the practice. The drawing of kolam on dried cow dung, he said, could repel insects and poisonous creatures when mixed with turmeric.
“It is not only for hygiene purposes, but also for good health and as a sign of prosperity because cow dung represents the vibes of Goddess Mahalakshmi, who is the goddess of prosperity,” he said .
For the kolam, dyed and shredded coconut flakes were used to draw the designs. As for the ponggal milk rice, Karthi said the pot to cook the sweet ponggal is first placed on a traditional firewood stove which sits on the dried layer of cow dung spread over several red bricks.
Once the milk overflows from the pot to signify an abundance of harvest and symbolise a joyful future, green mung beans and rice are poured into the pot and cooked, followed with raisins and cashew nuts.
This year, Karthi said the devotees also decided to prepare kadambam rice, another rare Ponggal treat which is nutritious rice cooked with five types of vegetables such as such as carrot, pumpkin, brinjal, plantain and potato.
The vegetables are then mixed with lentils, rice and some spices in a pot before it is cooked and served.
After temple priest M. Suresh Kumar conducted the prayers, the sweet ponggal and kadambam rice were offered to the Sun God.
Devotees would then feast on a vegetarian lunch served on banana leaf with some sweet ponggal and kadambam rice.
Ponggal is celebrated to mark the auspicious month of Thai in the Tamil calendar. It is also a thanksgiving festival marking the start of spring and the first harvest.
Tamils will pray for a bountiful harvest and mark the day by boiling fresh milk to make milk rice.
On the second day of Ponggal, called mattu ponggal, cows are blessed and given a day’s rest as a gesture of appreciation for the animals.
Young women are celebrated on the third day, which is known as Kaanum Ponggal.
