Pongal celebrations keep festive mood on in Tamil Nadu

P Mahendiran, managing trustee of NGO Eera Nenjam, which organised the event, said that all the inmates of the night shelter were abandoned by their families, while the persons affected by leprosy were sidelined by the society. On Sunday afternoon the persons affected by leprosy were taken to the night shelter, where games were organised for them till late in the evening. Aged inmates of the home danced for songs and performed cultural events to entertain the guests. Uriyadi, tug of war, lime and spoon race, lucky corner were among the games organised for them before distribution of sweet pongal to all concluded the celebrations. The participants were elated as it was after many years they celebrated Pongal festival with enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, women of Tiruchengode town actively took part in the rooster catching event, which is termed ‘Modern Jallikattu’, on Sunday. Exclusively conducted for women, this event completed 5 years this year. In this contest, a rope is tied to a leg of the contestant and the other end to the leg of a rooster. The woman is then blindfolded and given a minute to catch the rooster. Many participants wanted that sports like jallikattu should be allowed. “Jallikattu is not just a sport but has been part and parcel of our culture for centuries. It should be protected,” participant K Renuka said.

Special Gopoojas were performed at different places including Karuvadikuppam near here to mark the Mattu Pongal” celebrations in the union territory of Puducherry.   Bullock cart race and other competitions were held at several villages and prizes distributed to mark the occasion.

Tamil Poet and social reformer Tiruvalluvur and legendary Kannada poet Sarvagna should be reverred by people of South India as they propogated secular society, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Sunday. Recalling the contributions of Tiruvalluvar to the society at a function in Halasur area in the city, he said the two social reformers produced so many works in ‘tripadi’, the poems written in the native three-line verse metre and it has revelance even in modern day life, Siddaramaiah said. “We all value social values propogated by Sri Tiruvalluvar but need to imbibe it in a better way,’’ he said. He said Karnataka had unveiled a grand statue of Tiruvalluvar in Bengaluru as the city’s citizens rever him with high respect. His birth anniversary is being celebrated in Karnataka with devotion as people of the State respect poets for ages, Siddaramaiah said.