Hindu Devotees to Celebrate Thai Pongal Today With Much Devotion and Joy

COLOMBO (News 1st): Marking the beginning of the solar calendar for another new year, the Thai Pongal festival is a joyous expression of gratefulness.

Hindu devotees all over the world are celebrating Thai Pongal today, decorating their homes and participating in joyous processions, and gathering for family feasts to share their thanksgiving and blessings.

Thai Pongal, meaning harvest festival, is a major festival celebrated every year by Hindus all over the world.

The word Pongal itself implies overflowing, and the act of making milk overflow in a clay bowl symbolizes future prosperity.

Motivated by their strong belief in the sun's role in farming, Hindu devotees celebrate Thai Pongal, offering the first grains of the harvest in gratitude for the sun's blessings and seeking continued bounty for their village and the country.

Waking up early and cooking the Pongal, a symbolic rice dish, takes centre stage in the festivities.

Offering Pongal rice to the Sun God is the core ritual of Thai Pongal.

Driven by this noble sentiment, Hindus across the globe come together to celebrate the harvest's bounty and seek blessings for the year ahead.