Bhogi Pongal, devoted to
Lord Indra – the God of Rain, is the first day of the four-day
Pongal festival in
Tamil Nadu. On this auspicious day, people clean their household and garden and all the old and useless items are put on a bonfire. The bonfire is burnt through out the night as young men beat little drums and dance around it. This event is known as the Bhogi Neruppu (Bhogi fire). The courtyard is decorated with
Kolams.
A popular folklore is that it is on this day that Lord Krishna lifted the Gobardhan Mountains on his little finger.
