New Delhi, Jan. 14 -- Pongal, a four-day harvest festival native to Tamil Nadu, marks gratitude to nature for a bountiful harvest. Observed in mid-January, the festival coincides with the sun's northward journey and the beginning of the Tamil month Thai.

On Pongal, devotees prepare the traditional dish "Pongal" by boiling freshly harvested rice with milk and jaggery, symbolising prosperity and abundance.

The Pongal celebrations include Bhogi, Thai Pongal, Mattu Pongal, and Kaanum Pongal, each honouring nature, the sun god, cattle, and community bonds.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from MINT....