Places to visit in India during Pongal Festival
Pongal Festival is a harvest festival dedicated to the Sun God and is considered to be one of the most significant festivals in the Tamil culture and last for four days. Pongal translates to ‘overflowing of abundance’ which is symbolically represented in the staple dish also known as Pongal.
Pongal festivities is a must-experience for travelers while traveling in Tamil Nadu during the Pongal festival. Some of the places travelers must visit to experience Pongal festivities at the best include:
Pongal is a major Hindu festival that is celebrated in the fourteenth day of January every year
Madhurai
Madhurai is a city with many temples, and close proximity to many villages and fields showcases the real spirit of Pongal with temples conduction various rituals and prayers on all four days of the festival. The villages and fields display a small portion of their produce to the Sun God and prepare a wide variety of dishes from their own produce in honour of the Sun God.
Travelers can have a memorable experience visiting the temples and villages of Madhurai during Pongal, indulge in local delicacies and also witness the sport of bull-taming or Jallikattu.
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Coimbatore
This urban city does not showcase any signs of agrarian activities or festivities associated I the rural regions and here Pongal is celebrated as their own version of Thanksgiving. Travelers can witness and experience the festivities at a grand and pompous scale with homes being freshly painted and decorated, indulge in local delicacies and the city also offers a wide assortment festive shopping options for travelers.
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Thanjavur
This small and usually quiet town turns into a vibrant one during the festival of Pongal. Apart from the decorated houses and local delicacies, travelers can also witness special events and celebrations at the Brihadeeshwara Temple where cows are lined up for worship and entire neighborhoods decorated with patterns and designs made out of rice flour.
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Pollachi
Located 44 km from Coimbatore, this region is known for its scenic beauty and surroundings. With agrarian activity being a dominant part of the town’s life, Pongal festivities hold high importance in this region. Travelers can enjoy Pongal festivities while exploring local attractions such as Topslip, Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary, Aliyar Dam, Monkey Falls, Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, Masani Amman Temple etc.
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Salem
This industrial town famous for its textile manufacturing and steel plant is surrounded by hills providing a mesmerising scenery and breath-taking ride up to the mountain and from the peak. This region is known for its special Pongal ceremony known as the Fox Dharshan where the villagers bring a fox into the village from a nearby forest for worshipping it during the Pongal ceremony, and the fox is released back into the forest post completion of the ceremony.
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Theni
Known as the Manchester of South India, this region is famous for its cotton plantations. Theni also attracts a lot of visitors during the Pongal festival which commences with local young men gathering near the river to perform the Bhogi Kuttus and women craft colourful Kolams. Jallikattu and Manji Virattu are some of the must-see Pongal celebrations. Travellers can also enjoy visiting Tiger Falls, Suruli Falls and Cloud Land Falls post enjoying the festivities of the Pongal celebrations.
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