The harvest festival of Pongal was celebrated with traditional gaiety and fervour in Puducherry on Tuesday. The streets were decked up with kolam and people decorated their homes with mango leaves and performed poojas to the Sun God.
Clad in new clothes, people turned up at various shrines to offer prayers to presiding deities. Sugarcane and turmeric plants, which are key elements of the festival, sold like hot cakes at various points.
The traditional Mattu Pongal was celebrated with fervour and gaiety in villages on Wednesday. Cattle were washed and their horns painted. A large number of people also participated in the Pongal festivities held at Auroville on Tuesday.
Pongal bazaar
The Ilaignarkal Education Centre, Mohanam Cultural Centre and the French Pavilion organised the Pongal bazaar in which Aurovillians, villagers and tourists took part. Performances including song and dance, traditional Tamil and French games were also organised as part of the celebrations.
For Kaanum Pongal festival on Thursday, security has been strengthened at several places including the Promenade here, where people throng in large numbers.
