Mattu Pongal will be celebrated on January 16 and is a day dedicated to offering prayers to the cattle. The cattle are crucial in agricultural areas and the celebrations acknowledge their contributions in the bountiful harvest season. People used to play the dangerous game of Jalikattu on this day. Mattu means bull and this day reveres Nandi bull, who was a beloved of Lord Shiva. It is believed that Nandi has been living on earth to help farmers produce food, which is why the cattle are worshipped. Send these Mattu Pongal 2023 wishes to your loved ones.1