Chandigarh-based Tamil families celebrate Pongal at Sri Karthikeya Swami temple

CHANDIGARH: Hundreds of

Tamil families

gathered to celebrate Pongal at

Sri Karthikeya Swami temple

in sector 31 on Wednesday. The temple looked like a mini sugar cane forest with black

sugarcane

, especially brought from south India, was displayed for decoration. Sweet Pongal was prepared and served to the devotees.

The city-based Tamil families worshiped the sun God on the first day of Tamil

New Year

and the second day of the ongoing Pongal festival. It was a day completely dedicated to impress the sun God for a prosperous year ahead. At the temple in sector 31 Chandigarh Tamil residents made a sugarcane hut under which the traditional Pongal dish was prepared for worshiping the Sun god in the morning. Those who celebrated in their homes also made the hut from black sugarcane, especially brought from south and cooked sweet Pongal in a special earthen pot.

The auspicious day began with women waking up early to make Rangoli, traditionally known as Kolam. “On this day all women wake up early in the morning and make Kolam (Rangoli) with coloured rice flour. Then they cook the sweet Pongal dish with rice,

jaggery

and dry fruits in a special earthenware pot which is first worshiped. Thereafter, green haldi with stem (turmeric), small paan patta, Supari, and elaichi are tied around it. These are cooked until the rice boils and overflows. It is this overflowing which is called Pongal and when this happens everyone shouts “Pongaloo Pongal”. It is just like shouting Happy New Year,” said said Dr S Ganesan a Tamil resident living in the city.

Pongal is special dish made made of special rice and gur specially brought from south. It is then eaten as prasad and is served to friends and family. Along with sweet Pongal many other special dishes were cooked in Tamil homes to celebrate the occasion like brinjal, sambar, vada, idli and other spicy snacks are cooked.

On the third day of Pongal, also known as Mattu Pongal, all Tamil residents worship the cow. It is a day of Pongal for cows. Traditionally on the occasion tinkling bells and flower garlands are tied around their necks and they are offered sweet Pongal. “This ritual is however, done back home as here people do not own cattle, shared,” Raman, another tamil resident.

There are about 50,000 Tamil population in Chandigarh, More than 20,000 members of Tamil sangam are serving in Government, public sector and private sector in the tri-city and make the tri-city their second home town.

Chandigarh Tamil sangam was established in the year of 1969 and registered as a sewa Indian social cultural organization in the year 1971.