Pongal Celebrations 2023 at Amritapuri Ashram

People from around the world celebrated Pongal in Amritapuri, which this year is from January 15-18. Originating from Tamil tradition, Pongal is a harvest festival to thank the Sun, Mother Nature, and the farm animals that support humankind’s food chain and ecological relationships. It marks the beginning of the Tamil month of Thai, which is considered an auspicious time. Pongal is also the name of the dish made and eaten during the ceremonies. It is a mixture of boiled sweet rice and derived from the Tamil word pongu, which means “to boil over”.