Mattu Pongal Celebrated at Isha Yoga Center
Mattu Pongal was celebrated at Isha Yoga Center with traditional Pongal rituals, decorated native cattle worship, indigenous cattle exhibition, and vibrant Tamil folk art performances, drawing thousands of devotees and visitors.
Arunkumar Gowrishankar
As part of the Pongal festival celebrations, a special Pongal worship ceremony was held on Thursday at the Isha Yoga Center. Thousands of people, including tribal communities living around Isha, volunteers, and ashram residents, participated in the event and joyfully prepared Pongal in traditional pots.
On the occasion of Mattu Pongal, cattle—an essential component of natural farming—were honoured as a mark of gratitude. Native cows maintained at Isha were beautifully decorated and special prayers were offered to them. Earlier, Isha volunteers from various Indian states and foreign countries captivated visitors by performing Silambam (a traditional martial art) at the Adiyogi premises.
Following this, an exhibition showcasing more than 20 rare indigenous cattle breeds was organised. The exhibition featured native breeds such as Kangeyam, Ongole, Kangrej, Umbalachery, Gir, and several others. It is noteworthy that over 700 traditional native cows are being nurtured and maintained at Isha’s gaushala.
Later in the evening, traditional Tamil folk art performances were presented by the Alamelu Mangammal Folk Art Troupe from Coimbatore. The performances included Karagattam, Kattaikkal Attam, Kavadi Attam, Mayil Attam, Maadu Attam, and other vibrant rural art forms that highlighted Tamil cultural heritage.
On account of the Pongal holidays, thousands of devotees and visitors thronged the Isha Yoga Center and participated in the celebrations, making the Mattu Pongal festivities a grand and culturally enriching event.
