Wondering why one would talk about Sankranti now? While Sankranti is still more than a month away, people in another part of the world are sitting down to enjoy their harvest meal and offering their gratitude for all they have. Just like we observe Sankranti as a way to give thanks to nature, Thanksgiving is celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November every year.
This occasion goes back to the time when the first Thanksgiving feast (1600's) was celebrated by the pilgrims and the native Indians. Unlike the spread on today's tables, the ancestors did not have the exotic ingredients then to whip up an elaborate meal. It was just a way to honor and thank God for all the bounty. This is pretty similar in theme when we celebrate Sankranti. Whether it is celebrated in South or North India, the idea remains the same. It is a way to be grateful to nature.
What's on the holiday table?
Thanksgiving is one of the biggest and much awaited holidays in the United States. Schools and offices are closed on the fourth Thursday and Friday and it is a time when family and friends get together to prepare and enjoy an elaborate meal. Since it is autumn in the USA, it is also the harvest season. Markets are flooded with bright orange pumpkins, shiny red apples, and the weather is blustery and the days are getting shorter.
You can see all these treats on the dinner table. The most important items that you'll find are stuffed turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, bread and the must-have pumpkin pie. Sounds very different from our Sankranti? You bet! We obviously don't celebrate with any of these, but still use all the seasonal fruits and vegetables that are such an integral part of this time of the year.
Thanksgiving Day
Friends and relatives gather together on this important day. It is common to find everyone pitching in the kitchen with the chopping, mashing and baking chores. There are stories to share, recipes to follow and a lot of fun to be had by everyone. The feast is usually late in the afternoon around 3 pm when everyone gathers around the table to enjoy the fruits of their labor. For all sports enthusiasts, there is invariably a football game to watch on TV that makes the day even more exciting.
Sankranti
Sankranti is a time when everyone is outside celebrating in the warm sun. In northern India, the weather is just right for the kites to splash across the blue skies. In the south, the pongal pots are overflowing with milk and you can hear "Pongalo Pongal" ringing in the air. You probably sit down to enjoy a delicious meal with a variety of sweets and savories. And no Pongal or Sankranti meal is complete without Pongal or Meetha Bhaath.
Thanksgiving or Sankranti, it is a time to pause. It is a time to reflect and feel grateful for all that we have. It is also a time to thank mother earth and make sure that we do our part to preserve it for later.
And thanks can be said in many ways. Sankranti or Thanksgiving, they are all the same. Just be sure to savor the occasion.
