Pongal-the festival celebrated by Tamilians to rejoice in the fruits of past harvesting season. Celebrated in the month of January, or the equivalent Tamil month "Thai", Pongal is a festival of optimism. The favorite quote describing this month goes "Thai Piranthal Vazhi Pirakkum". Translated it means "There will be a way after Thai starts". Many believe that life will improve from each Pongal, a name which means "rising above"-rising above in life.

The first day of the festival, we pray to god with the crops harvested from our field. We will prepare food with the rice and serve all. The pots will be decorated and surrounded by one or two sugarcane crops and other crops such as turmeric. The second day is devoted to serving the cattle, since they are responsible for the success of the vegetation. They and all the carts will be washed, and then the cows will be decorated as they are the celebrities that day.

This particular Pongal coincides with my village's temple festival where the entire district gathers. After prayer, we play a lot of games brought by foreigners, like Giant Wheel. This season is also shopping spree time for the villagers. The doors of the shops will be thrown open, and girls and boys will buy whatever they want. Relatives and their children pack the streets during this happy festival in their decorated carts and pulled by bedecked oxen, drivers of adorned cabs. There will be music entertainment, magic shows and all kinds of entertainment. All of your relatives and friends will be at your side, elders will crack jokes and fun never seems to end.