Pongal celebrated in TN with traditional fervour

Tamil harvest festival Pongal was celebrated with usual fervour across the state Tuesday with people ushering in the auspicious Tamil month of 'Thai'.

Chants of 'Pongal-o-Pongal' rent the air in many a home as the milk boiled, symbolising the gushing of prosperity.

People decorated their homes with mango leaves and strings of flowers.

Special prayers were held at temples.

This year, the AIADMK government had distributed gift hampers containing raw rice, sugar, raisins, cashew nut, cardamom and sugarcane to all card holders to celebrate the harvest festival, in an attempt to mitigate the impact of cyclone Gaja in the Cauvery delta and drought in the northern districts.

The ingredients are used in the preparation of the sweet delicacy 'Pongal'.

The K Palaniswami government had also provided Rs 1000 cash to all ration card holders on the occasion.

President Ramnath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister K Palaniswami and DMK President and Leader of Opposition, MK Stalin, greeted people on the occasion of the Pongal festival.

Purohit celebrated Pongal with the villagers of Sathurangapattinam in Kanchipuram district while Palaniswami took part in the festivities in his native Salem.

The famed bull-taming sport of jallikattu was also held in Madurai coinciding with Pongal, with a number of eager volunteers participating in it.

Meanwhile, Palaniswami greeted Purohit on the occasion.

"I have great pleasure in conveying my best wishes and greetings to you, the first Lady and all the members of your family for a very Happy Pongal and Sankaranthi," he said in a message to the Governor.