CHENNAI: Pongal is all about tradition, culture, family time and more importantly looking ahead. It is four days of festivities and feasting. But is there something more to it? I have learnt important lessons from this lovely festival and thought would share them with you.
● First day, Bhogi: Management Lesson — Letting go
On this day people get up early. They discard old things and concentrate on change or transformation. At dawn, people light a bonfire with logs of wood, old mats and wooden furniture at home that are not useful. This is where all old habits, vices, and attachment to material things are sacrificed in the fire.
● Second day, Pongal: Management Lesson — Looking ahead
Pongal signals new beginnings. It’s a new dawn of opportunities. Tradition has it that, it is the period the gods are awake and hence, there are positive vibrations and energetic activities everywhere.
People normally wait for Pongal to kickstart new projects and begin new assignments. Having let go of old and outdated thoughts, habits and ideas, there is ample room and scope for innovation.
● Third day, Mattu Pongal: Management Lesson — Living in harmony
This day signifies celebration of relationships. It announces the homecoming of ladies. It is customary for girls/brides to begin living in their husband’s homes after their wedding vows are taken. In some communities, brothers give gifts to the sisters and sisters pray for the relationship to be everlasting. Animals, especially cows and bullocks, are also acknowledged as a part of the family. The crow is also invited to feed on mixed rice and fruit early in the morning.
● Last day, Kaanum Pongal: Management Lesson — Learning to celebrate
Kaanum Pongal literally means seeing new things. People from neighbouring villages visit the cities for sightseeing. They are dressed in new clothes — colourful and resplendent — and the entire day is devoted to being together During these three days, old habits and practices, ill feeling and low moments are given up and forgotten. New beginnings are aplenty. Fresh thoughts and ideas emerge and are put into practice. Both friends and relatives come together in all their splendour to celebrate life.
From a management perspective, Pongal is not just a harvest festival of feasting and celebration. It’s an occasion for self-assessment, mid-course correction and quality improvement towards attainment of life’s goals that calls for a grand celebration.
(The writer is the principal of MOP Vaishnav College for Women)