SINGAPORE - Activities to welcome Pongal, a harvest festival celebrated mainly by the Tamil community, kicked off in Little India on Saturday with an annual light-up.
Jointly organised by the Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association and the Hindu Endowments Board, the activities will be held until Jan 18.
Pongal, which means the boiling of milk and rice to signify abundance and prosperity, starts on Jan 14 this year and is a four-day affair.
Heritage and cultural activities will be held in Little India as part of the Pongal celebrations. For instance, Pongal, a traditional sweet pudding, will be distributed to about 6,000 visitors to Little India on Jan 15 and 16.
There will also be an annual Festival Village at the recently pedestrianised Campbell Lane, which will offer Indian delicacies, decorations, traditional outfits and henna.
Over at Hastings Road, a Cultural Village will showcase the vast culture, heritage and tradition of the Indian community. It includes a heritage exhibition and cattle farm.
Other events include a painting contest, an interactive debate in Tamil, and a treasure hunt.