Where does “pongali” come from?

pongali (English) comes from Telugu పొంగలి, from Tamil பொங்கல், from Tamil பொங்கு, from Proto-Arawak ponku, from Proto-Arawak panku — to dwell.

Ancestry of “pongali”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Teluguపొంగలిrice boiled with milk
2Tamilபொங்கல்Pongal, a solar harvest festival celebrated in the first day of the Tamil month தை, when the sun happens to enter capricorn and take a northern course, during which pongal (the dish) is prepared as an offering to Sun
3Tamilபொங்குto boil over, bubble up from intense heat; boil (as milk), to swell (as dough)
4Proto-Arawakponkuhouse
5Proto-Arawakpankuto dwell
Every word from Proto-Arawak panku →Every word from Proto-Arawak ponku →Every word from Tamil பொங்கு →