This Tamil Nadu Village Has Not Celebrated Pongal Over 100 Years; Know Why
This village in the Tenkasi district has refrained from all festivities of Pongal for the past 100 years.
Published : January 14, 2025 at 12:23 PM IST
Tenkasi: The Tamil festival of Pongal is being celebrated on Tuesday. In Tamil Nadu, nearly every festival has its unique traditions, and Pongal is no exception. This festival is celebrated to highlight the culture and heritage of the Tamil people.
Celebrations during Pongal include wearing traditional attire such as the Veshti Sattai and expressing gratitude to the sun for providing life to humans and all living things, including plants and trees. Homes are adorned with clay pots containing Pongal. Additionally, beautiful kolams are drawn in courtyards to showcase the artistry of women and heroic sports competitions are held to demonstrate the bravery of men.
No Pongal Celebration In This Village
While the entire state is celebrating Pongal with fervour, there is a village in Tenkasi district that has not celebrated the Pongal festival or made Pongal for more than 100 years.
When it comes to Pongal, it is special to make Pongal in a Pongal pot on that day. On the morning of Pongal, people light a fire in palm leaves in front of their houses and worship the sun by making beautiful and artistic Pongal in earthen pots.
Kelayapillaiyur village located near Kadayam in the Tenkasi district is home to about 300 families. According to local tradition, around 100 years ago, the villagers celebrated Pongal a day early. During this celebration, the Pongal pot did not foam, and the stove was heated beforehand. It is believed that if the Pongal pot is heated first, the lives of the villagers will be as happy and prosperous as the overflowing pot.
However, the lack of foam and the pre-heated stove was interpreted as a bad omen or a curse from God. As a result, the villagers of Kelayapillaiyur decided to stop celebrating Pongal in their village after that day.
Additionally, the Uchinimakaali Amman temple in the village holds a festival every year during the month of Thai. The villagers believe that the misfortune they experienced stems from serving Pongal in their homes instead of offering it to the goddess during the festival.
The villagers have kept the words of their ancestors across six generations by not placing Pongal pots in front of their houses. They do not participate in any celebrations like decorating the houses with sugarcane on that day, and they do not organize sports competitions, art shows, etc. specific to Pongal.
"We have not celebrated Pongal for six generations. One hundred years ago, when we celebrated Pongal in our house, the furnace heated up before the pot began to boil. This was considered a bad omen. The pot boiled over because we celebrated Pongal in our homes before it was celebrated during the temple festival," said Murugesan from Keliyapillaiyur
"Our ancestors said it was some kind of bad omen and considered it as an offence to God. We do not participate in any celebrations on Pongal. I am 74 years old. I have never celebrated Pongal before,” he added.
Veluchamy said, “We have never celebrated Pongal before. We only worship God inside the house. As far as I know, we have never celebrated Pongal. I have not participated in Pongal celebrations since I got married. The youth of today ask us to celebrate. But we will tell them the story behind our decision. Then they will accept it,” he said.
When Ponnuthurai said about this, “We celebrate Pongal only during temple festivals. Even if newly married women want to celebrate Pongal, the elders in our village will tell them what happened to them. I have been married for 26 years. I have never celebrated Thala Pongal. We are telling our children what our ancestors told us.”
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