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	<title>Comments on: Blog Pongal #2 &#8211; Best posts of the year 2007</title>
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	<link>http://www.sastwingees.org/2008/01/15/blog-pongal-2-best-posts-of-the-year-2007/</link>
	<description>Knowledge is Scrumptious</description>
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		<title>By: Sukumar</title>
		<link>http://www.sastwingees.org/2008/01/15/blog-pongal-2-best-posts-of-the-year-2007/comment-page-1/#comment-3606</link>
		<dc:creator>Sukumar</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:33:34 +0000</pubDate>
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		<description>Thanks for the comment Padma. Interesting explanations for some of our customs.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Thanks for the comment Padma. Interesting explanations for some of our customs.</p>
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		<title>By: padma ashtekar</title>
		<link>http://www.sastwingees.org/2008/01/15/blog-pongal-2-best-posts-of-the-year-2007/comment-page-1/#comment-3605</link>
		<dc:creator>padma ashtekar</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:29:51 +0000</pubDate>
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		<description>sorrY! i am a latecomer in this discussion.As u said,In tamilnadu, and kerala we follow solar calendar.all other states follow lunar calendar.(according to me solar calendar is more meaning ful)sun shifts to each raasi on 14/15 of a month and thus completes 1 year after visiting 12 raasis(Astrological point of view).Jan 14 is considered important in many states.In gujarat it is a kite festival.some of my friends told me that it is good to be under the sun on that particular day because sunrays are more beneficial on that day(tropic of cancer runs thro guj).In maharashtra , they distribute lots of ellu barfi(sesame &amp; jaggery) because they will induce heat in the body to ward off cold.In south ,NE monsoon will be over by december end.Once rainy season is over ,dampness and dirt accumulated because of rains and moisture should be cleaned from the house.This is the reason why we clean houses on bogi(pazhayana kazhidalum,pudhiana pugudhalum).Next day pongal ,sun crosses TOC and starts moving towards south, farmers who couldnt come out of their houses due to rains , come out and celebrate and thank nature(sun,earth  etc) on that day.sugar cane is used for puja because that is the time they get them in abundance.whatever was available on that season,they were offered to GODS.
As far as north south direction confusion,
In tamilnadu south facing houses are preferred(lots of breeze from south direction),over west facing houses (breeze is blocked by western ghats).In maharashtra ,guj west entrance is preferred because sea is in western side.Generally south is not preferred in northern part of india .It should have started from ramayana period.Since ravana was in south they would have pointed out it as direction of asuras.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>sorrY! i am a latecomer in this discussion.As u said,In tamilnadu, and kerala we follow solar calendar.all other states follow lunar calendar.(according to me solar calendar is more meaning ful)sun shifts to each raasi on 14/15 of a month and thus completes 1 year after visiting 12 raasis(Astrological point of view).Jan 14 is considered important in many states.In gujarat it is a kite festival.some of my friends told me that it is good to be under the sun on that particular day because sunrays are more beneficial on that day(tropic of cancer runs thro guj).In maharashtra , they distribute lots of ellu barfi(sesame &amp; jaggery) because they will induce heat in the body to ward off cold.In south ,NE monsoon will be over by december end.Once rainy season is over ,dampness and dirt accumulated because of rains and moisture should be cleaned from the house.This is the reason why we clean houses on bogi(pazhayana kazhidalum,pudhiana pugudhalum).Next day pongal ,sun crosses TOC and starts moving towards south, farmers who couldnt come out of their houses due to rains , come out and celebrate and thank nature(sun,earth  etc) on that day.sugar cane is used for puja because that is the time they get them in abundance.whatever was available on that season,they were offered to GODS.<br />
As far as north south direction confusion,<br />
In tamilnadu south facing houses are preferred(lots of breeze from south direction),over west facing houses (breeze is blocked by western ghats).In maharashtra ,guj west entrance is preferred because sea is in western side.Generally south is not preferred in northern part of india .It should have started from ramayana period.Since ravana was in south they would have pointed out it as direction of asuras.</p>
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		<title>By: archana raghuram</title>
		<link>http://www.sastwingees.org/2008/01/15/blog-pongal-2-best-posts-of-the-year-2007/comment-page-1/#comment-1578</link>
		<dc:creator>archana raghuram</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 25 Jan 2008 02:43:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sastwingees.org/2008/01/15/blog-pongal-2-best-posts-of-the-year-2007/#comment-1578</guid>
		<description>Very interesting observations, Senthil, on why South could have been a symbol of death. Great theories. You the makings for a symbologist. Way to go.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Very interesting observations, Senthil, on why South could have been a symbol of death. Great theories. You the makings for a symbologist. Way to go.</p>
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		<title>By: Sukumar</title>
		<link>http://www.sastwingees.org/2008/01/15/blog-pongal-2-best-posts-of-the-year-2007/comment-page-1/#comment-1577</link>
		<dc:creator>Sukumar</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 25 Jan 2008 01:40:32 +0000</pubDate>
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		<description>Senthil,
Interesting theories on the South. Buffaloes are definitely there in the North as well. It used be a key animal in the Indus Valley. Perhaps as Archana says, they decided to make Yama (saturn was a IVC God) the god of death and buffalo his vehicle. 

As for sugarcane in the pongal. I guess those are the comments from many people that enriches the blog pongal.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Senthil,<br />
Interesting theories on the South. Buffaloes are definitely there in the North as well. It used be a key animal in the Indus Valley. Perhaps as Archana says, they decided to make Yama (saturn was a IVC God) the god of death and buffalo his vehicle. </p>
<p>As for sugarcane in the pongal. I guess those are the comments from many people that enriches the blog pongal.</p>
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		<title>By: senthilraja</title>
		<link>http://www.sastwingees.org/2008/01/15/blog-pongal-2-best-posts-of-the-year-2007/comment-page-1/#comment-1567</link>
		<dc:creator>senthilraja</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:36:52 +0000</pubDate>
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		<description>I remember the tamil saying &quot;Thai piranthaal Vazhi Pirakkum&quot; ..

sukumar.. Any sugarcane in your pongal :)</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I remember the tamil saying &#8220;Thai piranthaal Vazhi Pirakkum&#8221; ..</p>
<p>sukumar.. Any sugarcane in your pongal <img src='http://www.sastwingees.org/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
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