Three weeks back, we received an invitation from a friend to join him and his residential association community for breakfast. We didn't know what the event was about but we were glad to be part of the celebration. This is the first time, DH, kids, my mother-in-law and me experienced a Ponggal celebration up close.
This close-knitted community has initiated a first-time gathering to celebrate Ponggal at their nearby garden. We see preparation of claypots placed on stacks of bricks. There were also some coloured rice decorations on the ground and residents carefully placing wood underneath the pot which were laterlighted to "cook" the rice.
We were briefed by one of the R.A. committee that the Ponggal festival is a harvest festival celebrated by the Tamils. We were told that it is sometimes mistaken as a religious event but it is actually a thanksgiving day and a tradition that has been followed for thousand of years.
Rice were added to the claypots and cooked with milk until it overflows, symbolising bountiful harvest and wealth. We noticed some other stuffs being added into the pot and was told that they were some spices, raisins, cashew nuts, brown sugar and ghee.
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