A cultural experience

Every week, I check our Temple’s calendar to see if there is something interesting for my son to participate in. This week was Pongal so it was a no brainer to attend Pongal celebrations this Saturday! Hey, it was a heat wave and I get to wear a pretty saree I got as a gift. But the temple had another program on schedule called Bhogi Pandulu. I had a vague idea of what it was from my Telugu speaking friends. When my husband asked me the plan for the day, I just commented we were going for Bhogi Pandalu. He really got excited. Who wouldn’t with such nice name at the temple he was expecting some food.

Pongal celebrations was done and then we moved onto Bhogi Pandulu. Little children were sitting on their parent’s laps. They were showered then with candy and dry fruits! It was fun watching the little kids collecting their goodies into ziplock bags.

India has so many languages and cultures and this was our first experience of witnessing this event. As we were outside tying our shoes I talked to a mom and a girl who told me she loved the function (waving a ziplock full of candies and dry fruits). Mom told me she was Kannada and they add something extra to the lot and do it on Makara Sankranti day. Yes, a festival done on Pongal or Bhogi to ward off evil effects from children.

My husband didn’t get any feast for his belly! But watching children was definitely a feast for the eyes. Meanwhile my boy did grab some kisses that a kid missed!

A Temple is a place that can give you spiritual, religious or cultural connection. Hindu Temples in the US cater to people of all the states in India and I have learnt more the past 25 years than I had living in India and this was one!

Our temple now has Kamadhenu and Nandini. celestial cow and calf sculpture in front! More signs I need to write my sanskrit exam!! An explanation for another blog.