pongaln.

1673 J. Ogilby Asia 148/2 Many other Feasts..are kept by the Brahmans, Soudra's, and other Tribes or Sects,..amongst others, the Feast Pongol, in honor of the Sun, on the ninth of January... They boyl Rice with Milk or Water in the open Air, that the Sun may shine upon it.

1731 tr. A. Roger Relig. & Manners Bramins ii. x, in tr. Relig. Ceremonies & Customs Several Nations III. 353 The day after the Pongol_ [Fr. Le jour d'après le Pongol], in the midst of their mirth and jollity,..the beasts..are also led thither.

1742 T. Broughton Hist. Dict. All Relig. II. 256 When the Sun begins to withdraw himself, they cry Pongol, and repeat it four times. The rice which is thus boiled on this day is looked upon as holy, and is kept as long as possible.

1788 F. Magnus tr. P. Sonnerat Voy. I. v. 142 The second day the festival is called Maddou-Pongol, or Pongol of cows:—they paint the horns of these animals, cover them with flowers, make them run in the streets, and lastly make the Pongol at home for them.

1806 Asiatic Ann. Reg. 1807: Misc. Tracts (1809) 141 (heading) An interesting account of the great Hindu festival Pongal, by Teroovercadoo Mootiah.

1806 Asiatic Ann. Reg. 1807: Misc. Tracts (1809) 144/1 The Hindoos visit and compliment each other, wishing a happy Pongal, or many returns of that Pongal, for the preservation of each other.

1877 M. Williams Hinduism xii. 182 In the South of India this festival is commonly called ‘Pongal’, and is the commencement of the Tamil year.

1897 H. K. Beauchamp tr. J. A. Dubois Hindu Manners II. iii. iii. 580 The pongul, or Maha-sankranti, always takes place during the winter solstice, the period when the sun, having finished its course towards the southern hemisphere, turns to the north again and comes back to visit the people of India.

1964 Times 15 Jan. 4/1 It was Pongal Day, the harvest festival, when the people of southern India count the blessings of the soil.

2005 Hindu (Nexis) 14 Feb. Though the service was officially launched on Pongal.., it is yet to be made operational in 16 out of the 21 cities.

1961 K. Nagarajan Chron. Kedaram iii. 64 There was no lack of mirth or old-fashioned cheer; plenty of pongal and idlis were consumed.

1998 K. T. Achaya Hist. Dict. Indian Food 250/2 Some 400 kg each of various rice-based dishes, like savoury and sweet pongal..are cooked every day to be served to pilgrims.

2001 M. Hughes et al. World Food: India 192 Some unique sweets are made for certain festivals, such as..pongal (sweet festive rice garnished with nuts, raisins and coconut) to celebrate New Year.