Here's all you need to know about the colourful Pongal festival which pays homage to the sun and nature. Yes, it's Pongal time in Singapore!
Growing up in Singapore, I remember lapping up New Year festivities twice every January: the New Year festivities celebrated on a larger scale and the Pongal festival that my family observed modestly at home. I can’t help but smile when I remember fondly rushing home from school during the Pongal festival season and checking the pots on the stove to see if my grandmother made pongal, the eponymously named sweet rice dish eaten during this festival.
Fast forward to today, the Pongal festival has gained ground and abounds in Singapore every year. During Pongal, you can see dazzling light displays in Little India, Indian grocery shops teeming with earthen pots (a significant feature of the festivities, it’s traditionally what pongal is made in!) and many fun events that usher in this Tamil New Year!
Typically celebrated in mid-January by Tamils worldwide, this festival celebrates the rice harvest and pays homage to the sun and nature. The Tamil diaspora community in Singapore celebrates this beautiful festival with much aplomb, and festivities include offering gratitude to the sun, nature, and family. Think of it as the Indian version of Thanksgiving! This year, the Indian festival will be celebrated from 14 to 17 January.
What is this festival all about, and how can you and the kiddos get in on the fun? Read on for more…
What is the Pongal Festival?
Pongal, also known as Makara Sankranti, is an Indian festival celebrated in mid-January by South Indians as a festival marking the rice harvest in India. The essence of Pongal is to offer thanks to nature and celebrate the fruit of farmers’ labour throughout the year. You’ll notice that part of the festivities includes giving cows the red carpet treatment during this period because they are pivotal in farming practices. Additionally, in Tamil, the word pongal refers to overflow or abundance. Hence, this festival is a celebration of an abundant harvest and the abundance of all things good in our lives.
In Indian farming communities, it is the time of the rice harvest – which is of primary significance to Indians as rice is a dietary staple. Hence, Pongal is when people thank the sun and nature – the real MVPs – for nourishing and sustaining life as we know it and more!
While Pongal traditionally started as a farmers’ festival, it has become a festival for all Tamils transcending professions and faiths. On local shores where farming isn’t as prevalent, the festival remains significant and continues to be a means of offering thanks to nature, lapping up the good vibes and strengthening family bonds!
How is the Pongal Festival celebrated?
The Pongal festival lasts for four days. Each day has a unique significance.
It kicks off with Bhogi Pongal. This day is all about cleaning up and starting fresh by removing old stuff. On this day, families will be spring cleaning in preparation for the new year! Giving the place a nice sprucing up. Traditionally, local farming communities created a bonfire where they would burn old items. Out with the old!
The second day, Surya Pongal, is when the main event happens. “Surya” refers to the sun in Tamil, so it’s time to pay homage to the sun for nourishing the earth. How is this Surya Pongal observed? It starts with decorating the entrance of the house with kolam, colourful patterns made from powdered rice.
Then it’s time to whip up the festive dish pongal, made with rice, lentils, spices, milk and sugar. Families gather around for this special treat. This dish takes quite a while but is a cherished part of the festival. The milk is poured over the rice and allowed to come to a roaring boil, spilling out of the pot, symbolising abundance flowing into the home; during this time, families cheer, “Pongalo Pongal or may this milk overflow” to usher in a prosperous new year.
Next up is Mattu Pongal, a day dedicated to thanking cows for their hard work during the harvest. Mattu refers to cows in Tamil. These cows get the VIP treatment and are loved up! In farming communities, cows are given a spa day, cleaned, adorned and fed a relishing feast!
Festivities are capped with the final day, Kaanum Pongal, about visiting family and friends to celebrate together, emphasising community and strengthening relationships. Everyone gathers for a delicious meal, and younger folks seek blessings from their elders. It’s a time of joy and togetherness! Plus, it’s also on this day that people are treated to dazzling traditional folk dances.
In Singapore, Pongal festivities can involve light displays along Little India, farm tours (to catch sight of some cool, diligent cows and thank ’em!), lively performances, delish festive eats and more. It is a celebration of nature, traditions, culture and family.
Where can we celebrate Pongal 2024 with kids in Singapore?
Can’t wait to join the Pongal festivities with the kiddos this year? You’re both in luck because there’s a surfeit of festive fun across the island this festive season! Check out some cool events that will be happening over the Pongal festival:
1. Pongal Open House 2024 at Indian Heritage Centre
If you thought Deepavali was the only time to head to Little India, you couldn’t be more wrong! Little India will be LIT this Pongal as well. You and the kiddos can enjoy family fun at the Indian Heritage Centre’s special annual Pongal Open House 2024. This year, the fun is amped up, while the essence of the festival – thanksgiving to the sun and elements of nature – is deeply honoured.
This year’s theme, “The Sun,” pays homage to sunlight’s role in nature and harvests. Enjoy activities like Harvest Dance & Storytelling, Little India Trail featuring local celebrities, Kranji Farm Tour, Pongal Cooking Demonstration (if you licked your lips when you read about this, you can learn how to make it!), and various craft workshops.
Kiddos will also love the live music, dance, craft activities, and traditional games. Registration for selected programs is required here. Admission to the Indian Heritage Centre is free for Singaporeans and permanent residents. That’s not all; head over to the centre’s informative Pongal feature, where you and your kiddos can learn how Pongal is celebrated in India.
When: 6-7 and 14-15 January 2024
Where: 5 Campbell Lane, Singapore 209924
2. Pongal celebrations by OnePA
Do you feel like celebrating Pongal somewhere closer to the ‘hood? You and the kiddos are in luck; the People’s Association has a long lineup of Pongal festivities happening all over Singapore. Choose from culinary tours or competitions and more!
When: Various dates & timings
Where: Various locations
Lead Image: Indian Heritage Centre Facebook
