Tripura Woman Embraces Tamil Tradition in Thalai Pongal Celebration

Thalai Pongal, celebrated by newly wedded brides, is a special festival where the bride’s family visits her home, carrying Pongal bands and offering a feast arranged by the groom’s family. On January 14, 2025, Supriya, a physician from Tripura, and her husband, Thileepan, celebrated Pongal in the traditional Tamil manner. Supriya shared how Pongal, known as “Hangrai” in Tripura, is celebrated differently in her hometown, emphasizing the festival’s role in bridging cultural diversity and highlighting agricultural prosperity through various rituals and performances.

Key Points of the Thalai Pongal Celebrations

Supriya’s Celebration

• Supriya, a doctor from Tripura, married to Thileepan of Sathankulam, celebrated Pongal as “Pongalo Pongal” with family and friends.
• Supriya emphasized the difference between Pongal (known as Hangrai in Tripura) and its Tamil version.

Cultural Significance

• Thalai Pongal is a special celebration for newly wedded brides, similar to Thalai Diwali.
• The bride’s brothers and sisters visit her home and perform the ritual, carrying Pongal bands.
• The bride’s family brings the “seer” (offering), which includes rice, jaggery, and various items such as pots and spoons.
• The groom’s family arranges a feast for the bride’s family members who bring the seer.
• The festival emphasizes cultural traditions and strengthens familial bonds.

Tourism and Cultural Exchange

• The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TNTDC) organized a grand celebration in Nanjikottai village near Thanjavur, attracting over 75 tourists from Spain, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, England, and the United States.
• Tourists were welcomed with traditional music and served 25 varieties of food on banana leaves in a coconut grove.

Traditional Activities

• Traditional activities like Jallikattu, bullock cart racing, and displays of native animals such as bulls and fighting goats were enjoyed by the visitors.
• Tourists participated in local games such as Kabaddi, Silambam, and Uri Aitthal, adding to the authenticity of the celebration.
• The tourists were also introduced to Tamil rural handicrafts like pottery making, bamboo weaving, and henna application.

Cultural Performances

• Traditional Tamil dance performances such as Karakattam, Kalayattam, and Naiyandi Melam were performed in honor of the guests.
• The performances depicted various folk traditions, adding to the vibrant atmosphere of the Pongal celebrations.

Pongal Rituals

• In Thoothukudi, people performed the traditional Pongal rituals by placing pots of milk on stoves in front of their houses and worshipped the Sun God as the milk boiled over.
• The festival was celebrated across various localities, including Ponnakaram Junction and Shanmugapuram, where people prayed for agricultural prosperity.

Community Participation

• The festival saw active participation from all walks of life, including Christians, who attended a special mass at St. Susaiyappar Church in Kurushpura, blending local traditions with religious observances.