People thronged the streets of Little India yesterday for some last-minute shopping to prepare for the annual Pongal festival, traditionally celebrated by farmers in India to give thanks for a year of bountiful harvest.
The festival is celebrated for three days in Singapore from tomorrow to Thursday, but the festivities and activities related to Pongal will go on till Feb 10.
Tamils who celebrate it shop for items such as sugar cane, vegetables and fruits which are important components of the festival.
This year's Pongal festival is also the first time that animals are paraded on the roads. On Thursday, a bull, three cows, two calves and two goats were dressed up with bells and garlands and led through Campbell Lane to a shed in Hastings Road. The animals will be housed there temporarily for a heritage carnival until Saturday.
More than 800,000 people are expected to descend on Little India during this period. Highlights of this year's festival include a Little India Food Trail, workshops and a series of activities and street decorations.