MAYILADUTHURAI: Breaking the tradition, villagers in Tirunagari near Sirkazhi in Mayiladuthurai district celebrated the Pongal festival on the second day of the Tamil month Thai, in the message of communal harmony, as they have been doing for three generations.

Many years ago, a clash occurred in Tirunagari on the first day of the Thai month, followed by an incident of missing jewellery, resulting in the arrest of persons belonging to one community, who were held at the station.

As it was the Pongal festival, police released members of the other community of Tirunagari on bail on the second day of Thai. From that time, more than 300 families of the village have been celebrating Pongal only on Thai 2.

They believe that any attempt to celebrate on Thai 1 may lead to untoward incidents, and so the practice of marking the festival on Thai 2 has continued for three generations.

This year, on Thai 2, on Friday, the people of Tirunagari celebrated the festival with their families. They set up enclosures in front of their houses, lit lamps, placed sugarcane and pre- pared Pongal.

This year, on Thai 2, on Friday, the people of Tirunagari celebrated the festival with their families. They set up enclosures in front of their houses, lit lamps, placed sugarcane and pre- pared Pongal.