Today, we join Tamil communities across Canada in celebrating Thai Pongal, also known as the harvest festival.
The four-day celebration takes place after the winter solstice and marks the time for rice harvesting. It also marks the return of longer days and more sunlight that brings our senses back to life.
Thai Pongal is mainly celebrated by Tamil communities. In the Tamil calendar, thai is the name of the month of January. The word pongal comes from a Tamil word that means "to boil." It is also the name given to a rice dish prepared during this period. During the celebration, it is customary to ask those around you whether the rice has boiled, a symbolic phrase for the rituals of this 1000-year-old celebration.
Tamil festivals are also Canadian celebrations, which is why, in 2016, our government designated January as Tamil Heritage Month. On the occasion of Thai Pongal, I wish all those celebrating festivities filled with joy, love and time with family.
