Pongal is the most auspicious festival among Tamils worldwide, including those in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius, South Africa, USA, Canada and Singapore. Pongal festival comes on Tamil calendar’s first day of auspicious 'Thai' month. The Tamil meaning of Pongal is “boiling over or spill over.” Pongal festival’s date is fixed for every year because it is derived from solar calendar.
On the second day of Pongal, the puja or act of ceremonial worship is performed when rice is boiled in milk outdoors in a earthenware pot and is then symbolically offered to the sun-god along with other oblations. In accordance with the appointed ritual a turmeric plant is tied around the pot in which the rice will be boiled.
and the Minister - Mr Lim Boon Heng - gives it one last stir ....
The families usually gather outside their home and cook 'pongal' in clay pots. When the rice overflows from the pot the people shout 'Pongal O Pongal' and pay tribute to the Sun. The overflowing of rice symbolizes a prosperous farming season.
and we are given some rice to share in the prosperity for the coming year!
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