Press Release
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, January 13, 2005: On the occasion of the celebration of Tai Pongal across South India, Sri Lanka and other lands where Tamil Hindus have settled today, Datuk A. Vaithilingam, president of the Malaysia Hindu Sangam, issued the following message:
“It has been the tradition for the Hindus in South India especially Tamil Nadu to offer thanks to God with a pongal i.e. boiling the rice from the newly harvested paddy in water with milk, with the milk overflowing on all sides at the height of boiling (or, boiling over auspiciously to the east). Pongal is celebrated on the first day of the Tamil month of Thai. The cooked pongal is offered in thanks to nature with prayers, then served to the family and others. This is also accompanied by traditional performances. We are now in the midst of the result of a severe calamity of Tsunami with the loss of lots of lives and millions of people rendered helpless. Let us join in prayers this Pongal Day for the repose of the departed souls and the rehabilitation of those helpless ones. Our Pongal Greetings to all Hindus with a wish that the ill effects of the Tsunami will soon be eradicated.”
HPI adds: Relief workers in the various impacted villages along South India’s coast made a special effort to celebrate Pongal with survivors.