SINGAPORE - Unlike the subdued celebrations last year (2021), Pongal this year will see a whole raft of hands-on activities including pot painting. A cattle farm will also be set up.
The festival is traditionally celebrated by farmers in India to give thanks for a year of bountiful harvest.
Fringe activities to mark Pongal this year will be open to individuals who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 and children below 12 years old.
Organised by the Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association (Lisha), the festivities will feature special activities for students and migrant workers.
During a press briefing on Wednesday (Jan 5), vice-chairman of Lisha Joyce Kingsly said the activities are a way to share the spirit of Pongal with the wider community.
"Amid the restrictions brought on by Covid-19, we have endeavoured to share Pongal and extend our reach to as many people as possible while paying heed to the safe management measures," she said.
A curated programme of Pongal activities will be conducted for students on Jan 10 and 13, including activity stations for flower tying, saree draping and henna painting in Clive Street and the Indian Heritage Centre in Campbell Lane.
Up to 20 students from seven schools will be able to participate in the curated programme on each of the two days, with each school allotted an hour to rotate between the activity stations.
Migrant workers will be welcomed to take part in the festivities on Jan 15, designing kolam - a traditional floor mural made with rice flour - that will later be displayed.
Visitors will be able to catch a glimpse of cows, calves and goats, which will be on exhibit from Friday in Little India. Groups of up to five visitors will be allowed to walk through the exhibit, which begins at Clive Street and ends at Dickson Road.
Members of the public can visit the cattle farm, which honours livestock for the role they play in ensuring a bountiful harvest, till Jan 16.
Pongal, a rice dish that is traditionally prepared during the festival, will be cooked by volunteers during a live-stream on Jan 14, which will be featured on Lisha's Facebook page.
The activities will be complemented by this year's Pongal light-up, which will be on display until Feb 6 in Little India.
The Indian Heritage Centre will also hold an open house, welcoming visitors to learn more about the festival and offering a slew of activities including art workshops and a Little India Pongal trail for visitors. The trail runs from Jan 10 to 13.
Readers can check the Indian Heritage Centre's website for more details.
