Residents of Palarpatti village in Theni district had a pleasant surprise, on Monday, as Diana, granddaughter of legendary British Engineer, Pennycuick, who constructed the ‘Mullaperiyar’ Dam, visited the village and celebrated Pongal along with them.
Diana participates in the Pongal celebrations in Palarpatti village, on Monday
Madurai:
People of Theni district celebrate Pennycuick’s birthday (January 15) as Pongal. On Monday, a grand festival was celebrated at Palarpatti on the occasion of his 177th birthday and Pongal was offered to his portrait.
Diana along with her team participated in the festivities and paid respect to Pennycuick. When she addressed the media, she said that she will go back to England with the memories. “I would inform my people how the residents here have been benefited by the Mullaperiyar dam,” said Diana. ‘Look after your water’ was her message to the people of Tamil Nadu.
Traditional games
On the occasion of Mattu Pongal, traditional games were conducted in Thapathi village near Ettayapuram, on Monday. Lifting the ‘Ilavattakal’ was the most populrr one. The ‘Ilavattakal’ is a spherical stone weighing around 110 kg and in the olden days lifting ‘Ilavattakal’ was fixed as criteria to marry a girl. The tradition is still followed in Thapathi and Iyanvadamalapuram villages.
In Morponnai coastal village in Ramanthapuram district, fishermen offered Pongal to the sea.
Conversations