: The harvest festival of Pongal was celebrated in Union Territory of Puducherry with traditional gaiety and fervour today.
The festival falls on the first day of the Tamil month of Thai (January-February).
People decked up their homes with mango leaves and also performed poojas to Sun God.
Clad in new garments people turned up at various shrines to offer prayers to presiding deities.
Sugarcane and turmeric plants forming part of the festival's requirements sold like hot cakes at various centres.
The Puducherry government operated a special Pongal bazaar to sell commodities at reasonable prices.
Lt Governor A K Singh, Chief Minister N Rangasamy and political leaders were among those who greeted the people on the occasion of the festival of harvest.
People also exchanged greetings both personally and through the SMS and Whatsapp communications particularly by those living abroad.
