On Thursday, January 17, the Perak Society for the Promotion of Mental Health at Ulu Kinta, Perak, held a Ponggal event which was officiated by its President, Dato’ Dr M. Majumder and participated by the 75 residents, exco members, staff and guests.
Pongal is the Tamil Harvest Festival. The event began with the ‘silver pot’ (replacing the earthen pot) placed over a small wood fire pit, a ritual to mark Pongal. The boiling of the milk until it overflows is done as a form of thanksgiving to God for a bountiful harvest and healthy crops. Rice grains, sugar and other condiments were added into the pot for the cooking of pongal soru (sweetened rice). When it was overflowing, all present took turns to pray and helped themselves to this delicacy.
Society president offered prayers and thanked all present after which everyone present adjourned to savour the sweetened rice along with drinks. It is the tradition of the society to hold this important event every year without fail.
Apart from the members and friends, two AFS (American Field Service) students from Germany, Annika Alma Neumann and Lily Kalies, participated in the event.
K. Letchimanan
