Festivals often serve as anchors, keeping tradition alive in an increasingly modern world. While harvest festivals like Pongal are deeply rooted in rural life, their celebration in cities has gradually evolved. As Tamils mark Pongal, a few share how they continue to honour the festival, adapting rituals to urban spaces while holding on to food, memories, and togetherness.
For Prasanna, who runs the gallery Kannadi Cupboard, Pongal has always been a festival of abundance. Growing up in Tambaram, what he describes as a space between the rural and the urban, his childhood Pongals were shaped by both influences. “At home, we celebrate Pongal grandly. Traditional cooking was central, with vegetables like pumpkin, avarakkai and flat beans. Food is a big part of the festival,” he recalls.
His school, located about 20 kilometres away in a more rural setting, offered an even richer experience. “There, the celebrations were elaborate: we set up thoranams, had cows on campus, cooked Pongal on-site and distributed sugarcane. It was as authentic a Pongal experience as one could get,” he says. Those school celebrations gradually influenced the way his family began observing the festival at home.
Since 2014, Prasanna and his family have recreated that traditional setup every year.
Planning begins at least two days in advance. “We build a structure at the entrance of our house and decorate it with thoranams, flower strings and leaves.
Flowers are sourced either from our backyard or from the flower market, marigolds, tuberoses, vadamalli, and more," he says.
With both Prasanna and his sister having a design background, the process becomes a creative exercise. “We experiment with different ways of layering flower strings and arrangements.
The central space has the fireplace and pongal pot. Sometimes we cook at the entrance itself; at other times, we use a gas stove and serve it,” he explains.
Food, as always, remains central to the celebration. “It’s a traditional elai sappadu. We freeze mangoes during the summer and later use them to make manga murungakkai sambar.
There’s chakkara pongal, vadai, and for me, the dish that truly defines Pongal is Suryapadhartham,” says Prasanna. Made using flat beans, avarakkai, pumpkin, sweet potato, and spices, it reflects the harvest of the season. “These are the dishes I grew up eating. Ven Pongal is for breakfast,” he adds.
While many families step out on Kaanum Pongal, Prasanna’s family prefers Maatu Pongal for outings. “That’s when we meet relatives. The day usually involves cooking non-vegetarian food and heading to quieter picnic spots such as Alamparai Fort. Packed meals include biryani, coconut rice, chicken gravy and snacks. This year, we are considering Kumizhi Lake, closer to the city. Finding a place that isn’t crowded is always tricky, but we try,” he smiles.
Food blogger Rajni Ram says her family’s Pongal celebrations blend tradition with practicality. “Since we move cities every few years, we’ve learned to adapt while retaining the cultural essence of the festival,” she says. The celebrations begin with decorating the entrance with kolams. “Even in apartment complexes, you see kolams everywhere. I prefer a simple maa kolam, it’s quick and manageable for a working person.”
Looking back at her years in Tamil Nadu, Rajni recalls the festive atmosphere fondly. “There was a celebratory vibe for nearly five days. I loved walking around the neighbourhood to admire the kolams and market visits during Pongal were always exciting with colourful displays of fresh produce,” she says. While she doesn’t strictly follow the tradition of discarding old items, given her habit of recycling, she continues to observe other rituals closely.
One of her favourite traditions is preparing homemade pongal. “I make it in a pressure cooker and then transfer it to a brass uruli decorated with fresh turmeric tubers and leaves for a traditional touch,” she says. Sharing the pongal with neighbours and friends, especially those from different cultures, is something she enjoys. “These adaptations helped me manage time as a working woman, without giving up on tradition.”
Rajni also observes Kaanum Pongal by praying for her family’s well-being and honouring ancestors. “Cooking different rice varieties, visiting the temple and celebrating with our close-knit south Indian community keep the spirit of Pongal alive, wherever we are,” she says.