Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Pongal @ Little India

Pongal Festival


Pongal is a four-days-long harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India. For as long as people have been planting and gathering food, there has been some form of harvest festival. Pongal, one of the most important popular Hindu festivals of the year. This four-day festival of thanksgiving to nature takes its name from the Tamil word meaning "to boil" and is held in the month of Thai (January-February) during the season when rice and other cereals, sugar-cane, and turmeric (an essential ingredient in Tamil cooking) are harvested.
Mid-January is an important time in the Tamil calendar. The harvest festival, Pongal, falls typically on the 14th or the 15th of January and is the quintessential 'Tamil Festival'. Pongal is a harvest festival, a traditional occasion for giving thanks to nature, for celebrating the life cycles that give us grain. Tamilians say 'Thai pirandhaal vazhi pirakkum', and believe that knotty family problems will be solved with the advent of the Tamil month Thai that begins on Pongal day. This is traditionally the month of weddings. This is not a surprise in a largely agricultural community - the riches gained from a good harvest form the economic basis for expensive family occasions like weddings. (Taken from the website).


(1) While crossing the road, had a quick snap of the banner


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(4) Flowers on sale


(5) Ginger


(6) Ginger 


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(9) Banana


(10) Sugar Cane


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(12) Campbell Lane which has stalls selling festive items


(13) Sugar cane


(14) Pongal Heritage Carnival


(15) Don't ask me what's the meaning of the Indian word, as i do not know it


(16)


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(25) Stage

33 comments:

  1. We don't know of these festivals here - too few Indians around. Even Deepavali is not a public holiday. :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Over here, only Deepavali is a public holiday...

      Delete
    2. P.S.:
      Thank you for the very lovely Chinese New Year card. So sweet and thoughtful of you to send me one - wish you had written your address so I could send one back to you. Just received it minutes ago.

      Delete
    3. Good to hear you have receive it, as i was worry, it might lost in the mail...

      Delete
  2. I'm very shua gu, first time see the ginger still with the leaves, what's that use for? Cooking also?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know that ginger is used for cooking, but as for the leaves, not too sure if it can be used anot...

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  3. Hmm... wonder if it has anything to do with Thaipusam which will happen this Sunday and net us another day of public holiday on Monday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thaipusam and Pongal, different event, over here, Thaipusam not a public holiday, only Deepavali is a public holiday...

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    2. RG,
      Ponggal is a Tamil harvest festival. :)

      Delete
  4. Nice! Can see and learn something new about Indian culture~

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  5. When I was in uni, every year there will be a Pesta Ponggal.

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    Replies
    1. Here, every year, in Little India, they will have it...

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  6. oh yes, i have heard of Ponggal, i have been thinking it's the New Year in the Indian calendar but from the extract you taken from the website, it seems it's their harvest festival..

    so many things to see and to buy from the bazaar, interesting!!

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  7. Hi Sharon, thank you very much for the lovely CNY card you sent me. I posted one to you on Saturday. Hope it will reach you safely. Over here, Thaipusam will be celebrated on Sunday and so Monday automatically will be a public holiday to replace Sunday for most states in Malaysia.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good to hear you have receive it...

      Thanks in advanced, will look out for it...

      Here, Thaipusam no public holiday...

      Delete
  8. Good Afternoon Queen of Zumba!

    The weather is hot and crazy. My headache is back.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good morning TM...

      The weather here is unpredictable, it might rain anytime...

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  9. I love all your photos as they are so colourful and nice. We know little about the Indian festivals like this one. So good of you to share them with long write up to explain.

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    Replies
    1. The long write up is from the website, if not, if i were to write, i might give wrong information...

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  10. Thank you for the CNY card. I appreciate your thoughtfulness sincerely.

    This year I cannot celebrate CNY or send out cards as my mum's passing has not reached one year.

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  11. Wahhh...Pongal festival also never miss your eye... good to show us all, Sharon...

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  12. Wah over there Pongal very big celebration wor. Here quiet

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  13. 我喜欢他们的印度饼干,好好吃!:D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like too, but didn't buy, if not, can't control myself to eat it...

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  14. Not a big event/festive over here. Indian is a very minority here. ^^

    Interesting looking at your photos.

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    Replies
    1. Singapore, multiracial, so will have this event here...

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  15. Yeah, I heard my Indian colleagues wishing each other Happy Ponggal and I don't know what is it. Now I know it's some harvest celebrations which I am sure the farmers over there will celebrate in big scale!

    ReplyDelete

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