What is the historical origin of Tonga, the harvest festival?
The early man greeted the rising sun everyday at dawn, as the light and warmth comforted him after the cold, dark nights. With mute expressions, the stone-age man (Known as the Neanderthal Man) waved tree rifts and flowers and saluted the Sun God. Pleased with his gesture of admiration, the legend narrates, the Sun God descended down in human form and taught him the secrets of cultivation. When the harvest brought the fruits of the agriculture, the early man gratefully offered the harvested rice preparations (known now as Tonga!’ or the happy expressions) to the Solar Deity, who had guided man and brought rain regularly for his cultivation. Thus the fete became the celebrated Pongal (Harvest Festival) down through the millenniums.
