The festival of Makar Sankranti and Pongal serve as occasions to honour the hard work of famers and celebrate the fruition of their labour in the form of the rice harvest. India’s cultural diversity is reflected in the myriad ways rice in incorporated into regional celebrations during Makar Sankranti and Pongal
Pongal / Makara Sankranti is a festival day of new beginnings. It is observed each year in January. It marks the first day of Sun’s transit into the Makara (Capricorn). Being a festival that celebrates the Solar Cycle. The festival is celebrated across the country, with a distinct regional essence even though the forms are different but the purpose remains the same, marking the onset of the spring season.
The day is celebrated with family and friends with new clothes worn and the preparation of the traditional Pongal dish in an earthen pot. The pot is typically decorated by tying a turmeric plant or flower garland and placed in the sun along with sugarcane stalks. Sugarcane symbolizes sweetness and happiness.
St. Mary’s Public school celebrated Pongal / Makara Sankranti on 11th January, 2024. The program started with a prayer and Bible reading to invoke God’s blessings. The students had an amazing time marking the Pongal festivities, before they broke off for their Pongal vacations. Smartly dressed in colourful ethnic wear, they performed enthralling songs and dances. The program concluded with a short description of the essence of Pongal / Makara Sankranti. Our principal addressed the gathering with a motivational speech to encourage the students to make new resolutions for the year.
The program ended with the National anthem.
