Cultural competitions marked the Pongal and Tiruvalluvar Day celebrations held at the Salem Central Prison here on Thursday and Friday respectively.
Sweet Pongal was prepared in the prison and distributed to all the 800 and odd inmates on Thursday.
Shanmugasundaram, Superintendent of Prisons, presided.
At the Tiruvalluvar Day celebrations held on the prison premises on Friday, the prisoners made a portrait of Saint Tiruvalluvar with flowers. Prison officials and the inmates paid floral tributes to the portrait.
Contests
Later many prisoners participated in the Tirukkural couplets recitation, oratorical and painting competitions organised in connection with the day.
Tamil Maran, Tamil Professor of Periyar University, was the chief guest and he delivered special address on ‘Valluvar Kattum Vaazviyal’. Mr. Shanmugasundaram, Superintendent of Prisons, Nikila Nagendran, additional Superintendent of Prison, were present.