More About Pongal

Pongal is about a bountiful harvest. You take the first day of the three day celebration (It can be four in some states.) to throw out the old and buy new. Pots are included. There is lots of preparation and your actions reflect traditions and symbolism. One dish with milk and rice must be so full that some boils over. This represents abundance in the coming year.

Interestingly enough the government was distributing the ingredients for "sweet pongal" from ration shops all over the city. The abundance is there only for some and the rest must stand in line for survival.

The tried but slow way to separate the chaff from the grain.

Bringing in the sheaves and building up the meji.

And gathering. Marina beach at the Bay of Bengal looked like this on Pongal. Many people travel out of the city to celebrate at their home villages, but enough of Chennai's ten million stayed home and filled up the beach. 111 and children below the age of fourteen went missing, but the police were prepared and all in turn were found within minutes. Happy Pongal Day!