Tamil Murasu – 60 Multi-Ethnic Families Came Together to Organise Pongal Festivities

This year’s Pongal celebration in Little India is a triple celebration, as it coincides with Singapore’s 60th year of independence and the Silver Jubilee of the Little India Shopkeepers & Heritage Association (LISHA).

To mark 60 years of independence, 60 LISHA members and their families, all from various ethnic groups, will come together to organise this year’s Pongal celebration. Shaikh Fakhruddin, Chairman of the Pongal Festival Organising Committee, announced that senior citizens from Jamiyah Nursing Home and Sree Narayana Mission Nursing Home will receive gifts for Pongal.

In addition to annual traditions such as lighting displays in Little India, cattle displays and the observance of Mattu Pongal, several youth and student-focused programmes have been organised. A total of 14 events will take place in Little India from 9 to 19 January.

The ‘Pongal Experiences’ programme, scheduled for 13 to 17 January, aims to introduce students to the rich traditions of Pongal, celebrating agricultural practices, and encouraging them to participate in these activities. Folk and traditional artists from Tamil Nadu will also perform Poikkaal Kuthirai Aattam and Karakattam for the programme.

The ‘Big Bus Tour,’ an open-top bus tour, has been organised for the Pongal season following its success during the Deepavali celebrations, where it was popular with both the public and tourists alike.

Other events, including a panel discussion, will also be held.

Rudrapathy, Honorary Secretary of LISHA, shared that students from the National University of Singapore, Singapore Institute of Management, Singapore University of Technology and Design, and Singapore Institute of Technology are supporting this year’s events. He emphasised the importance of young people designing activities that appeal to their peers.

Rajkumar Chandra, owner of Jothi Store and Flower Shop, and senior advisor to LISHA, recalled the vibrant Pongal celebrations of the past, sharing how much they enjoyed celebrating the festival as children. He mentioned that the participation of today’s youth in traditional celebrations is growing and expressed his hope for this trend to continue.

Additionally, the ‘LISHA’ app was officially launched on 8 January, allowing users to learn about LISHA’s events and book tickets from them.

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