Thai Pongal (Meaning and why its celebrated. And how are the dates for Pongal Derived)

Posted byDineshcheramPosted inUncategorized

Hi Everyone, Auspicious Timing for Thai Pongal will be: 14 Jan 2021 (Thurs) @ 8.41am -10.11am (Singapore Standard Time)

I have seen quite a number confusion in the auspicious timings and therefore I will explain why & when is Thai Pongal Celebrated and how are the auspicious timings derived in Indian Astrology. Please do also help to share. The timing details will be explained based on Singapore Timings.

Firstly, Thai Pongal is celebrated on the first day of the Thai Maasam in Tamil Panchang. Thai Maasam begins on the first day of Sun’s Entry into Capricorn Sign/Makara Raashi. (In our Tamil Panchang a new month starts whenever the Sun enters a new Zodiac Sign. Example, on the first day of Sun’s entry into Aries Sign/Mesha Raasi we celebrate Tamil New Year which is also the start of Chitrai Month)

Next, in our hindu system the year is divided into 2 parts. One is Uttharayana and Dakshinayana. When the Sun enters Makara, that day is known as Makara Sankranthi and it is celebrated as Thai Pongal. When the Sun traverses from Makara/Capricorn to the end of Mithuna/Gemini, this period is usually known as Uttharayana. When the Sun Traverses from Cancer/Kadagam raashi to end of Saggitarius/Dhanushu raashi this is known as Dakshinaya. To know more about the significance of Uthrayana and Dakshinayana one can google them up. Uthrayana is basically the period of havesting and therefore celebrated. It is the sign for farmers that the sun is back and that harvest season is approaching.

Lets now look into the timings. On 14th of Jan 2021 (Thursday), Sunrise in Singapore is at 7.11am. Sunset is at 19.14pm. The first rule is to divide the day (Sunrise to Sunset) into 8 equal parts. Since the day is a Thursday, Jupiter will rule the first part. The order is Jupiter (1st Part) – Venus (2nd Part) – Saturn (3rd Part) & so on so forth. I have attached an image from Brihat Hora Shastra Book which states on how the days are divided and the allocation of planets to them. Note: Jupiter’s portion is always Emakandam and Saturn’s portion is Kulika for all the days. Emakandam is inauspicious as the name suggests it. Kulika is slightly different. It is believed that any activities carried out during Kulika tends to repeat itself. So if it is death rites carried out, it repeats and if its auspicious events it also repeats. But generally, Kulika is considered inauspicious.

1st part: 7:11AM (Sunrise SG) – 8:41AM (Jupiter) Emakandam

2nd part: 8:41 AM – 10:11 AM (Venus)

3rd part: 10:11 AM – 11:42 AM (Saturn) Kulika (குளிகை)

4th part: 11:42 AM – 13:12 PM (Sun)

5th part: 13:12 PM – 14:42 PM (Moon)

6th part: 14:42 PM – 16:13 PM (Mars)

7th part: 16:13 PM – 17:43 PM (Mercury)

8th part: 17:43 PM – 19:14 PM (Sunset) (Lordless)

So from the above, the auspicious time slot is 8.41am – 10:11am Singapore. It is also important to carry out pongal prayers after Sunrise as the purpose for this celebration is thanks giving to the Sun. It is also encouraged to celebrate in the morning. Hope this helped and please do share around.

I have also included the details in my facebook dineshcheram

Note: There is another concept known as Hora for determining auspicious timing. But that is secondary only.

Published by Dineshcheram

Hi, welcome to my site on Vedic Astrology. Just a brief introduction about myself. My name is Dinesh and I was born in Singapore. I graduated from Nanyang Technological University Mechanical Engineering in and graduated with Second Upper Class Honours. I was also a recipient of a Marine Scholarship and started of my Career in the Marine field. In 2013, my parents had visited an Astrologer and upon returning home, they told me that the Astrologer had made accurate predictions on specific incidents based on my Eldest Brother’s life. I was initially surprised to know how can an Astrologer be able to make such accurate predictions even without knowing him personally. Then one day, I stumbled upon a Book (Fundamentals of Indian Astrology by Kannan). I was completely glued to the book and completed understanding the book within 2 weeks. I then started visiting Prominent Astrologers in Singapore & India (while i was there) and realized they were able to make accurate predictions about my life. Surprisingly, a few astrologers even predicted I will start reading horoscopes in the future. In retrospect, it is true. I then started reading books and articles on Astrology and eventually completed a certification in Astrology from Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan, Delhi. I still do attend Distance Education courses whenever any renowned Institutions conduct Astrology Courses. Currently, I practice Astrology to spread the awareness that our Indian Forefathers have passed down to us and also aid people from various walks of life through Astrology. Vedic Astrology is a Gem that the Indian Sages propounded since ancient times. With this knowledge, one will be able to preempt the future and thereby take necessary actions to be cautious during adversities and be a risk taker during fortunate periods. Master Your Destiny Using Vedic Astrology. Book Your Consultation Today!

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