KUALA LUMPUR: The celebration of the first day (called ‘Bhogi’ on Jan 15) of the harvest festival Ponggal, and more synonymously with the call of ‘Thai Pongal’ on the second festive day (Jan 16), was celebrated with communal joy to bring blessings to Tamil Hindus throughout the country for this year.
A new beginning Ponggal celebrated at the Kuil Viswanathar Visalachi, Jalan Bayan Baru in Penang in 2020. – Bernama Mohan says Ponggal is to thank Surya Deva, the Sun God. – Bernama
VARIOUS communities in the Indian subcontinent look forward to Makar Sankranti as it marks a new beginning.
Many Indian communities honour this time of the year with their own celebrations (Lohri in Punjab, and Ponggal in Tamil Nadu).
While it is generally celebrated by people of all religions in India to mark the winter solstice, it is also an occasion to offer prayers to the Hindu sun god Surya to pray for a bountiful harvest.