Tamil Nadu Governor, Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi greet people on Pongal

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah, AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa and DMK President M Karunanidhi today greeted people on the occasion of Pongal.

The Governor also greeted people on Sankranti, a Raj Bhavan statement said.

"Let us on the Harvest Festival (of Pongal) resolve to uphold our rich culture and tradition, pledge to preserve and safeguard our environment and promote greenery and eco-friendly culture. May we join hands to build a stronger, prosperous and cleaner India," he said in his greetings.

Jayalalithaa recalled that Pongal was the occasion where farmers held prayers besides thanking the cattle for aiding them in their vocation.

The festival was celebrated with a lot of gaiety by painting colourful kolam (rangoli) presenting an offering for God comprising of sugarcane and fruits and capping it by cooking the sweet delicacy of Pongal, she said in a statement.

Extending her greetings, Jayalalithaa wished prosperity, welfare and all-round peace for her "dear people of Tamil Nadu."

In his greetings, Karunanidhi reiterated that the birth of Tamil month 'Thai' coinciding with Pongal was the Tamil New Year and wished the people on both occasions.

His government had in 2008 revised the Tamil calendar to facilitate celebrating new year in Thai (January) instead of Chithirai (April) but the subsequent Jayalalithaa government reverted to the original practice in 2011.

BJP state president Tamizhisai Soundararajan, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, TNCC President E V K S Elangovan, MDMK founder Vaiko, PMK leader S Ramadoss, TMC(M) Leader G K Vasan and Prince of Arcot, Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali also extended their Pongal greetings.