Chennai, Jan 15 (PTI) Tamil Nadu on Thursday erupted in festive joy as millions of people across the state celebrated 'Thai Pongal', the traditional harvest festival, with religious fervour and gaiety.
The celebrations, which kickstarted with 'Bhogi' on Wednesday, reached a crescendo on Thursday as families woke up at the crack of dawn to prepare the traditional 'Pongal' dish in earthen pots.
Chants of "Pongalo Pongal"echoed through households as the mixture of milk and newly harvested rice boiled over, symbolising a year of overflowing prosperity.
National and state leaders extended their greetings, emphasising cultural pride and equality.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who participated in a vibrant Pongal celebration at Union Minister L Murugan's residence in New Delhi, described it as a "global festival" that showcases the richness of Tamil culture. The event saw the Prime Minister in traditional attire, joining in the cooking of Pongal, while singer-actor Sivakarthikeyan and music director G V Prakash added to the cultural buzz with performances of the 'Thiruvasagam'.
On the social media platform 'X', key leaders, including Chief Minister M K Stalin, shared their messages.
Governor R N Ravi, in his message, expressed his deepest gratitude to "Mother Earth and the Sun God" for their abundant blessings.
He described Pongal as a proud celebration of Bharatiya spiritual and cultural heritage that unites hearts globally.
In his Pongal message posted on 'X' on Thursday, CM Stalin said, "Let the joy of the festival overflow everywhere.
"Everything for Everyone", ethos of the Dravidian Model, is the spirit behind collective celebrations or Samuthuva Pongal, which, he hoped will break down barriers of caste and religion.
The CM, who led the celebrations at the State Secretariat on Wednesday, with ‘Samathuva Pongal’ where he joined government officials from various departments and faiths to cook the traditional meal in an earthen pot, hoped that the Pongal gift hamper provided by his Dravidian Model government reach every household.
Similar 'Samuthuva' events are being held across the state, including 450 village panchayats in Virudhunagar district and all 15 zones of the Greater Chennai Corporation, featuring folk performances like ‘Parai’ music and ‘Karagattam’, as well as traditional games involving local communities and sanitation workers.
AIADMK General Secretary and the Opposition Leader Edappadi K Palaniswami said, "Let this festival mark the end of hardship and usher in a new era of prosperity and development. May the blessings of the Sun God be with everyone."
TVK President and actor Vijay, whose film ‘Jana Nayagan’ could not become a part of the Pongal festivities due to censor issues, said, "Our land is one of motherly love and harmony. Let this festival of the soil strengthen our bonds of brotherhood and lead us toward a future of equality and justice."
The day also saw the high-octane Avaniyapuram Jallikattu being kicked off in Madurai early this morning, marking the start of the prestigious three-day bull-taming series.
Over 1,000 bulls and 550 registered tamers are currently participating in the event, which is being held under strict Supreme Court guidelines. The stakes are higher than ever, with a brand-new car showcased for the best tamer and a tractor for the owner of the best bull.
While the season's first event was held in Pudukkottai earlier this month, the world-famous Alanganallur Jallikattu in Madurai is set to be flagged off by the Chief Minister on January 17.
For the long weekend, several major events have been advertised to cater to the festive rush, including Chennai Sangamam, which was inaugurated by CM Stalin on January 14 with a ‘Parai’ performance.
The folk festival, dubbed as 'Namma Ooru Thiruvizha’, is being held across 20 locations in the city until January 18.
The 49th Chennai Book Fair at YMCA Nandanam continues to draw massive crowds, serving as a primary cultural destination, while Mamallapuram Indian Dance Festival is attracting international tourists to the Shore Temple.
In Coimbatore, the 'Pongal Carnival' at the Tholuvam Pet Sanctuary has seen a high influx of families. In Thanjavur, the Big Temple (Brihadeeshwara) is set for its traditional mass worship of cattle for 'Mattu Pongal'.
As is tradition, theatres across the state are running at near-full capacity with Pongal releases. Sivakarthikeyan’s ‘Parasakthi’, Karthi’s action-drama 'Vaa Vaathiyaar' and Jiiva’s 'Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimaiyil' are leading the festive race.
Film buffs are also flocking to special re-releases, including the 10th-anniversary screening of the blockbuster of actor Vijay 'Theri', keeping the holiday "clash" alive at the box office. PTI JR JR KH
