Pongal, the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu, was on Monday celebrated with fervour on the first day of the Tamil month of ‘Thai,’ with farmers worshipping the ’Sun God’ with their agricultural produce.

’Kolams’ (rangoli) decorated the streets, while houses were decorated with palm leaves and flowers, as a mark of celebration of the harvest festival.

Farmers in rural areas worshipped the ‘Sun God’ by cooking pongal, the local sweet delicacy, with the ‘first rice’ from the latest harvest.

Families exchanged greetings with friends and relatives, while children consumed ‘Chakara Pongal’ (a perfect blend of cooked rice with jaggery) and sugarcane.

Many shops remained closed in Chennai, as most of its workers from rural areas had gone back to their villages to celebrate the festival.

Pongal, in rural areas, is a notable festival, as sons of the soil, settled in towns and cities for professional commitments, return to their hometowns to celebrate the fete with their parents and folks.

Arrangements for Jallikattu, a bull taming sport of the Tamilians, have been made in areas popular for that, including Madurai.

Madurai Collector Anshul Mishra said security arrangements were in place for safe and smooth conduct of ‘Jallikattu,’ for which the Supreme Court had given its nod.

Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa led a host of leaders in extending greetings to people on the occasion of the festival.

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