Tag Archives: India Q&A for School Children

What is the history of Pongal? The history of Pongal can be traced back to the Sangam Age, ie, 200 B.C. to 300 A.D. Pongal is an ancient festival of the Tamils and it is not known when exactly the Tamils began celebrating the festival, but some historians identify it with the Thai Un and Thai Niradal, believed to have …

Mattu Pongal: This third day is meant for the cattle (‘mattu’) – the giver of milk and puller of the plough. The farmer’s ‘dumb friends’ are given a good bath, their horns are polished, painted and covered with metal caps, and garlands are put around their necks. The Pongal that has been offered to the gods is then given to …

Why it is a Harvest Festival? Pongal comes from the word ‘ponga’ which literally means ‘boil’ and so ‘pongal’ connotes ‘spillover’ or that which is ‘overflowing’. It’s also the name of the special sweet dish cooked on the Pongal day. Pongal continues through the first four days of the ‘Thai’ month that starts on January 14 every year. What is …

Pongal festival is celebrated for four continuous days beginning from the last day of Tamil month of Maargazhi (December – January) and lasting upto the third day of Thai. Pongal is celebrated in the month of January after the winter solstice. When is Pongal festival? The date of Pongal usually remains same as it is reckoned according to the solar …

Dulla Bhatti was a famous legendary Rajput hero of Punjab, who led a rebellion against the famous Mughal king Akbar. There is a kind of epic in Punjabi language called Dulle di var, which narrates the battle events of Dulla Bhatti. Still there is a famous region in Punjab (now in Pakistan), called Dulle Di Bar means the forest of …

What is the significance of Christmas Bells? Bells, especially Church Bells, have been associated with Christmas for a long time. In the Anglican and Catholic churches, the church day starts at sunset, so any service after that is the first service of the day. So a service on Christmas Eve after sunset is traditionally the first service of Christmas day! In …

What is Navratri Kolu or Navarathri Golu? Bommai Kolu or Bommala Koluvu is the artistic display of dolls by women during Navratri and Dussehra in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and among certain communities in Kerala. The dolls, called Kollu or Golu, represents the durbar or assembly of Goddess Durga. This assembly is held just before Mother Goddess ventures on …

Why did Gandhi fast? Gandhi (1869-1948), known as Mahatma meaning ‘great soul’, is regarded as the father of India. From 1919 he led the country’s campaign for independence from the British, which was eventually granted in 1947. He was committed to non-violent action, such as refusing to pay taxes, strikes, and non-cooperation with the British, believing that independence could not …

Who was Subhas Chandra Bose and his role in India’s Struggle for Independence? When one thinks of the Indian independence movement in the 1930s and early 1940s, two figures most readily come to mind: Mahatma Gandhi, the immensely popular and “saintly” frail pacifist, and his highly respected, Fabian Socialist acolyte, Jawaharlal Nehru. Who was Subhas Chandra Bose and his role …

Why do we celebrate National Doctors Day? National Doctors Day is celebrated every year all across the India on 1st of July to provide honor to the most famous and legendary physician as well as 2nd Chief Minister of the West Bengal, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. Why do we celebrate National Doctors Day? It is a great observance in India …