Thai Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated by Tamils in Mississauga and in communities throughout the world.

It is observed at the start of the month Tai according to Tamil solar calendar and this is typically about January 14.

The festival is named after the ceremonial “Pongal”, which means “to boil, overflow” and refers to the traditional dish prepared from the new harvest of rice boiled in milk with jaggery (raw sugar).

This marks an important occasion in the calendar year for Tamils, since it’s an opportunity to give thanks to nature for providing bountiful harvests, while at the same time acknowledging the promise and hope of new beginnings.