'Pongal', the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu, was celebrated by the people across the state on Monday with traditional gaiety and enthusiasm. People, especially in the rural areas, celebrated the first day of the three-day festival, by cooking 'Pongal' (sweetened rice) in freshly-made earthen pots.
The farming community celebrated the day by worshipping 'sun' god for the bountiful harvest. Sugarcane and fruits formed an important part of the menu.

Special prayers in temples marked the celebrations.
On the second day on Tuesday, farmers worship their bullocks for helping them in their farming operations. Cows are also worshipped on that day, with their horns given a coat of paint.
The festival will come to a close on Wednesday with people thronging picnic spots. Bureau Report