Pongal is a 4 day long harvest festival celebrated to honour the Sun God, Lord Indra (god of rain) & the livestock and it’s celebrated with much pomp and show in Chennai.

1. Celebrate India – Pongal Festival with Yatra.com
Now the winters in Delhi are finally starting to get unbearably cold. It is a pity that I can’t get
away this time but I am sure some of you can! But, the problem is you can’t decide on a good
destination. Right? Well, Joy says… how about Chennai? Surprised? Well, so was I when I went
there for the first time. Let me explain how.
Traditional festivals are the most important events that take place in all Indian cities but each
city has its favorites. For Mumbai, it’s Ganpati Puja; for Goa, it’s Christmas; for Delhi, it’s Diwali;
similarly, for Chennai, it’s Pongal (Lohri orMakar Sankranti for Northern India). And, it was
during this festival that I had luckily dropped in at
Chennai, a few years back.
Pongal is a 4 day long harvest festival celebrated to
honour the Sun God, Lord Indra (god of rain) & the
livestock and it’s celebrated with much pomp and
show in Chennai.
On the 1st day people throw away their old clothes
and materials that they no longer require,
symbolizing a new beginning. On the 2nd day i.e. Pongal Day, to symbolize material abundance
in the household, fresh milk is boiled early in the morning and is allowed to boil over the vessel.
Feasts are prepared and people exchange gifts. The 3rd day is dedicated to worshipping the
livestock but the more interesting aspect of this day for me was the Jallikattu, an extremely
violent taming-the-bull contest. On the last day, people usually go out to picnic.
Well, that’s all, at least about the festival but I haven’t even begun on Chennai yet. “Kya karein
thoda background dena to banta hai na!”
Chennai is a 367 year old city. However, the aspect of the city that interests me most is that it
has the 2nd longest sea shore in the world for any city. Therefore, the first place to visit should
be the Marina beach. It’s huge; it’s long and surprisingly relatively clean. It’s a wonderful picnic
spot and good for a stroll any time of the day (in winters). However, keep in mind that it’s a
non-swimming beach and no lifeguards or equipment is available nearby and revealing
swimwear is not tolerated by the locals.
While travelling, if you prefer to indulge in local art, culture, religion, architecture etc., Chennai
will not disappoint you. Churches like Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Thomas and mosques

2. like Big Mosque (Wallajah Mosque) are serious crowd pullers. Kapaleeswarar Temple and The
Parthasarathy Temple are both 8th century temples and their architecture is influenced by all
the dynasties that have ruled ever since. Of the temples, Sri Ramakrishna Math Universal
Temple is the most popular. It was set up by Swami Vivekananda’s brother-disciple Swami
Ramakrishnananda in the year 1897. Since then it has garnered the reputation of being the
ideal spot for those seeking peace and a chance at contemplation and meditation.
All these tourist destinations are remarkable but for me the crown jewel of Chennai has to
be Valluvar Kottam. It’s a memorial cum auditorium dedicated to Tiruvalluvar, a renowned poet
and saint. Constructed with over 3000 blocks of stone, in the shape of a chariot, with the 1330
poet’s verses inscribed on its walls and with a 4000+ capacity (largest in Asia), it’s a true
architectural marvel. And, that is why it should definitely be at the top of your ‘to-visit’ priority
list.
The city is full of several other monuments, parks, museums and art galleries that can keep you
interested longer than the duration of your visit. Also, since it is a one of the biggest
metropolitans in the country and also the south Indian cinema hub, it has lots of interesting
stuff on offer for those looking to just chill out and have a good time.
I hope you have a good time there,
This is joy taking your leave,
Until next time,
Ciao
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