Thai Pongal 2019

Several days ago we observed Thai Pongal at Iraivan Temple. Chinnu made the delicious rice dish which would auspiciously boil over and the shilpis decorated and helped with the event. The monks gathered at Iraivan and enjoyed some prasadam along with an nice view of the morning sunrise.

We hope you had a festive and meaningful Pongal. As Lord Surya enters Capricorn we give thanks for the Earth's abundance and anticipate the longer and longer daylight of the coming year. See this article for further information about Pongal: www.hinduismtoday.com

The rice dish includes milk, cardamom, raisins and cashews, as an offering for Lord Surya

Chinnu adds some more milk

Everyone gathers in front of the Nandi Mandapam construction site

At last, it boils over in the direction of the sun

There are also many offerings of fruits and flowers

While the rice finishes cooking, everyone enjoys some time walking around Iraivan Temple

Paramacharya walks along the hillside

along these nice big steps

Muruganathaswami explores some of the recently finished work in the temple

We find Nirvani Haranandinatha out by one of the granite elephants

There\

s the Hawaiian Islands towards the top-center'

The globe could use some scrubbing, so Nirvani sets out to clean up the planet

Arumuganathaswami waits patiently by some of the newly carved stones

It\

s almost ready!'

Satguru takes a walk around the Temple

Inside, Dayanatha is shown photos of other neat carvings at the carving site in Bengaluru

Sugarcane is set up over the fire pit

offerings are made to the Sun, sustainer of all life

Chinnu performs a small blessing

Time for some sweet prasad! Aum Namah Sivaya

}

];