Pusnâ Explained

Holiday Name:Pusnâ
Type:asian
Nickname:Spring Cake Festival
Observedby:Hajong people
Longtype:Cultural
Significance:Marks the arrival of spring
Begins:A day before the Sun begins its movement away from the Tropic of Capricorn
Duration:Three days
Frequency:Annual
Date2015:January 15
Date2016:January 15
Celebrations:Making and eating of glutinous rice cakes and rice wine
Observances:Visiting relatives and friends, ancestor worship, honouring the Sun, harvest feasts with rice cakes and rice wine
Relatedto:Makar Sankranti and Poi Sangken of Thailand and other South-East Asian countries

Pusnâ is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Hajong people on or around January 14. In 2016, the festival falls on January 15. Pusnâ is a solar event making one of the few traditional Hajong festivals which fall on the same date in the Gregorian calendar every year, that is January 14, with some exceptions when the festival is celebrated on January 13 or 15. It is the celebration of Sankranthi, with feasts lasting for a week. Traditionally, Pusnâ is also a time for the family to get together. One activity that occurs during these get-togethers is the making and eating of Pi-thâ. Pi-thâs are made of glutinous rice flour.

Traditional customs

During pusnâ people prepare different kinds of traditional cakes with ground rice, scraped coconut, banana and juice extracted from Palmyra palm. Some of these rice cakes are deep fried, and some are steamed in bamboo or banana leaves. Ancestors are honoured on the first day of Pusnâ. People visit their relatives and friends during this festival.[1]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hajong - Festivals. Haj.biblesindia.in. 20 October 2017.