Pongal celebrated through the first four days of the Tamil Month of Thai (Mid January to Mid February), is a popular harvest festival in Tamil Nadu. The word Pongal, which literally means 'boiling over', refers to rice cooked in milk and jaggery. Pongal is prepared in new big earthen pots called 'Pongal Panai' in the open and allowed to boil over signifying prosperity and bountifulness of crops. It is a festival honouring and giving thanks to the gods - especially the Sun God and Indra, the lord of the rains and the cattle for the plentiful paddy crops in the field during the mild winter months in South India. Two varieties of Pongal- the salty one known as 'ven pongal' and the sweet one known as 'Sarkkarai pongal' are prepared on the second day.