that they should have an oil bath every day and eat once a month. Instead, Nandi wrongly advised people to take an oil bath once a month and eat every day. Shiva was annoyed with this advice related to food and in fit of rage, banished Nandi to permanently live on earth and help the farmers to produce the extra food crops needed for people to eat every day. Observance Observance of Mattu Pongal is part of the Pongal festival. Pongal is generally a four-day festival of fervent celebrations (during 2010, it will be held from 13 to 16 January) marking the officially declared Tamil New Year day, the beginning of the month of Thai starting with 14 January every year, as per Tamil Calendar. The first day is called Bhogi – the last day of Dhanurmas (month of Sagittarius), a preparatory day before the Pongal and is in honour of god Indra, the king of heaven. On this day it is spring cleaning, as people decorate their homes, buy new vessels and burn old and unwanted items. Pongal, the main festival, also called the Perum Pongal (big festival), is the second day when the Sun is worshipped signifying the first day of the month of Makara or Capricornus. It is celebrated as Makara Sankranti or simply "Sankranti" in the rest of the country. This is followed by the 'Mattu Pongal' celebration on the third day when bulls, cows and other farm animals are worshipped. The fourth day is the 'Kannum Pongal' or 'Kanru Pongal' (Calf Pongal) festival when calves are fed. However, the name 'Kannum' also denotes that on this day people visit elders in the villages or towns seeking their blessings. On each of the four days festival, Kolam or threshold drawings are drawn with coloured rice powder or chalk powder, in the front yard of the houses, after due washing of the yard. On the first day images of rice are drawn, on the second day good luck signs of Sun are drawn and the Mattu Pongal day Kolam depicts cows also. On all four days, Shiva's consort Parvati and their son Ganesha are worshipped and the Pongal – the rice preparation – is offered to them in the puja and thereafter to the cattle. The neck of the pot in which Pongal rice is prepared is tied with fresh turmeric leaves and pieces of sugarcane. Ingredients