On the Pongal festival day people clean and decorated their houses with flowers and Rangoli and wear new clothes. As soon as farmers bring newly harvested rice to their homes and give food to their cattle a rice dish called “Pongal” from where the festival got its name, and is devoted to Lord Surya.

First day of the Pongal Festival – Bhogi Pongal

The first day of the Pongal festival is called Bhogi Pongal. Bhogi Pongal is devoted to the worship of the rain God Indra. On this very First day people wake up early, clean their homes and decorate it with Kolam and flowers. Then get dressed in new clothes and offer flowers to the Lord Vinayaka or Ganesha made from cow dung or turmeric or mud and lighten up traditional lamps holy place.

Second day of the Pongal Festival – Surya

Pongal

The second day of the Pongal festival is called Surya Pongal is devoted to lord Surya that is “the Sun God”. The special Sweet Pongal Recipe (dish) is prepared in all homes. This is fundamentally a sweet rice dish cooked in milk and jaggery is offered to Lord Ganesha and then to cows and then it is distributed as Prasad.

Third day of the Pongal Festival – Mattu

Pongal

The third day Mattu Pongal is a day devoted to domestic animals (cattle’s) and other animals. The day is marked by the worship of the Goddess Parvati and her son (the elephant-headed) Lord Ganesha. This is also the day when cattle a very important in all villages a part of life.  Animals are washed and cleaned and decorated with ornamented, then take around through the village’s pathway. The parade is followed by cattle races, and in some instances, bullfights which are locally known as ‘Jallikattu’- bags is filled with of money are tied to the horns of bulls, and young men endeavour to move violently with the bulls to get the bags off.

Fourth day of the Pongal Festival – Kanum or

Kaanum Pongal

The fourth and the final day of the Pongal festival which is traditionally famous as Kanum Pongal is the day when the families calm down, visit each other and have get to gather  with friends and family. This is careful a very auspicious day when people visit their family and friends and celebrate. On this day there are folk dance performances accompanied by music and song.

According to the position of the sun Lohri festival is celebrated. Lohri symbols the winter festival. The people all over north India carry on joyfully dance around the holy fires. Lohri Festival will provide some relief to the people, because it ends with a tough winter season.

When first week of January ends, the boy’s forms small groups and ring the doorbell of every house and started chanting songs of Lohri Dulla Bhatti.  When the people open the door they give them peanuts, crystal sugar, popcorn, sesame seeds or Gur as well as money. The empty-handed will turn back is considered as unpromising.

Bonfire and Puja performance

Large logs will be arranged for holy fire, friends and relatives get together go around in a circle. The people go around the fire three times and offerings of popcorns, peanuts and sweets. Then the music of traditional Indian drum was played or beats the dhol and the people dance around the fire. The way is a prayer to Agni for good quality crops and wealth. To friends the people will distributed the Prasad of til ka Laddu, peanuts, Puffed rice, Popcorn, Gajak, Rayveri and sweets.

Lohri is also a complimentary happy event to celebrate a newly born baby’s or a new bride’s entering in the family. The traditional banquet of Sarson da Saag and Makki di Roti and a dessert of rau di kheer (rice kheer) will be at the end of the day. The purpose of the Lohri harvest ritual is to thank the God for his care and protection. During this festival the people prepare huge quantities of foodstuff and drink, and make happy all through the day and night. Therefore everybody looked further to this day. Wish you a Happy  Lohri!

Pilgrims going to the temple have to cross the Kumaradhara River and take a holy dip in the river before entering the temple for their darshan holy viewing of the Lord.

The devotees enter the courtyard from the doorway at the back, and walk around to go before the deity. Between the sanctorum and the portico entrance, there is the Garuda pillar covered with silver. Devotees circumambulate this pillar. It is believed that this pillar was charmed and planted there to protect devotees from the poisonous flames streaming from the breath of Vasuki who resides inside. Beyond the pillar are the outer hall, the inner hall, and then the sanctorum of Sri Subrahmanya. At the center of sanctorum is a pedestal. On the upper platform stand the deity of Sri Subrahmanya and the deity of Vasuki and, at a somewhat lower level, the deity of Shesha. Ritual worship is offered to these deities every day.

Kukke Subramanya  Swamy Pooja

Ashlesha Bali Pooja & Sarpa Samskara is two important Sarpa Dosha Poojas are done at Kukke Subramanya Temple.

Ashlesha Bali Puja or Aslesha Bali pooja is one of the important Kaalasarpa dosha pujas performed at Kukke Subramanya temple near Mangalore in Karnataka. Lord Subramanya is known as the protector from Kaalasarpa dosha and Kuja dosha. Kukke Sri Kshetra temple is the most popular for Sarpadosha puja. Aslesha Bali puja is performed on Aslesha nakshatra in each month. It is believed that if this puja is performed on other days it has no power.

Aslesha Bali puja in Kukke Subramaya temple will be performed in two shifts – 7:00 am and 9.15 am. Those who want to perform this puja need to report for sankalpa with Purohita inside the temple either at 7:00 am or 9.15 am. After the completion of Homa Poornahuthi Puja, devotees will get prasadam. Devotees believe Shravana masa, Karthika masa, and Margashira masa are the most auspicious months to perform Aslesha bali puja at Kukke temple.

Sarpa Samskara / Sarpa Dosha is one of the poojas performed by devotees at this temple to get rid of the sarpa dosha (according to belief, a person, either in this birth or in any of his previous births, could be afflicted by the sarpa (serpent) dosha (curse) either knowingly or unknowingly, through many ways). Persons who are afflicted with this dosha are advised by astrologers / horoscope writers to perform this pooja for their own wellbeing. Pooja can be done either by the afflicted person himself if he is male and married, or through a priest. This is because the pooja involves rituals similar to those done while performing shrartham (funeral rites). Sarpa Samskara seva devotees are required to be present for two days. The seva is performed during the daytime, with no particular poojas in the evening. Food arrangements will be made for these devotees by the temple devasthanam, for up to four persons per seva.

Due to the widespread belief in the snake god in Tulunad region of Karnataka and Kerala, this pooja is performed by people of all faith

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Holidays in Tamilnadu for year 2011 in Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore and other cities and districts of Tamilnadu state are declared as per Negotiable Intruments Acts (NIA).

Under the Explanation to Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (Central Act XXVI of 1881) read with the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs Notification No.20-25/26/Pub.I, dated 8-6-1957, the State Governments of various states are required to declare that in addition to Sundays expressly defined as Public Holidays in the said “Explanation” the other days that shall be observed as Holidays in the their State during the year.

The State government of Tamilnadu has notified following days and festivals as general holidays during 2011. The General Administration Department has issued a GO listing the general / optional holidays.

The list of general holidays in Tamilnadu is as follows:

Holidays in Orissa for year 2011 in Bhubneswar, Rourkela and other cities and districts of Orissa state are declared as per Negotiable Intruments Acts (NIA).

Under the Explanation to Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (Central Act XXVI of 1881) read with the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs Notification No.20-25/26/Pub.I, dated 8-6-1957, the State Governments of various states are required to declare that in addition to Sundays expressly defined as Public Holidays in the said “Explanation” the other days that shall be observed as Holidays in the their State during the year.

The State government of Orissa has notified following days and festivals as general holidays during 2011. The General Administration Department has issued a GO listing the general / optional holidays.

The list of general holidays in Orissa is as follows:

Under the Explanation to Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (Central Act XXVI of 1881) read with the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs Notification No.20-25/26/Pub.I, dated 8-6-1957, the State Governments of various states are required to declare that in addition to Sundays expressly defined as Public Holidays in the said “Explanation” the other days that shall be observed as Holidays in the their State during the year.

The State government of Kerala has notified following days and festivals as general holidays during 2011. The General Administration Department has issued a GO listing the general / optional holidays.

The list of general holidays in Kerala is as follows:

Holidays in Maharashtra for year 2011 in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Aurangabad and other cities of Maharashtra state are declared as per Negotiable Intruments Acts (NIA).

The State government of Maharashtra has notified following days and festivals as general holidays during 2011. The General Administration Department has issued a GO listing the general / optional holidays.

Under the Explanation to Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (Central Act XXVI of 1881) read with the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs Notification No.20-25/26/Pub.I, dated 8-6-1957, the State Governments of various states are required to declare that in addition to Sundays expressly defined as Public Holidays in the said “Explanation” the other days that shall be observed as Holidays in the their State during the year.

The list of general holidays in Maharashtra is as follows:

Holidays in Karnataka for year 2011 in Bangalore, Mangalore, Belgaum, Bellary and other cities of Karnataka state are declared as per Negotiable Intruments Acts (NIA).

Under the Explanation to Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (Central Act XXVI of 1881) read with the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs Notification No.20-25/26/Pub.I, dated 8-6-1957, the State Governments of various states are required to declare that in addition to Sundays expressly defined as Public Holidays in the said “Explanation” the other days that shall be observed as Holidays in the their State during the year.

The State government of Karnataka has notified following days and festivals as general holidays during 2011. The General Administration Department has issued a GO listing the general / optional holidays.

The list of general holidays in Karnataka is as follows:

Under the Explanation to Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (Central Act XXVI of 1881) read with the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs Notification No.20-25/26/Pub.I, dated 8-6-1957, the State Governments of various states are required to declare that in addition to Sundays expressly defined as Public Holidays in the said “Explanation” the other days that shall be observed as Holidays in the their State during the year.

The State government of Andhra Pradesh has notified following days/festivals as general holidays during 2011.

The General Administration Department has issued a GO listing the general/optional holidays.

The list of general holidays is as follows: