NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed a child who performed at the Pongal celebrations at Union Minister of State L Murugan’s home in the nation’s capital an astounding gesture on Sunday by giving her his shawl. At the ceremony, a teenage singer gave a performance. After she touched PM Modi’s feet, the PM gave her his shawl as a token of appreciation. In wishing everyone a happy Pongal, Prime Minister Modi stated earlier today that the occasion embodies the sentiment of “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.” The Prime Minister made this statement while in the nation’s capital for the Pongal celebrations at Union Minister of State (MoS) L Murugan’s home. “Today, the nation observed the Lohri festival.While some commemorate Makar Sankranti today, others do so tomorrow; Magh Bihu is also approaching. “I greet my fellow citizens on these festive occasions,” he uttered. PM Modi went on to say that he wanted to celebrate Pongal with his family. “Happy Pongal to all of you! I pray for happiness, wealth, and contentment in your life on this holy day. I feel like I’m celebrating Pongal with my family today,” he remarked. Tamilisai Soundararajan, the governor of Telangana, was also present for the event. “The festival of Pongal depicts the emotion of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’…This emotion of unity will give strength to the ‘Viksit Bharat’ of 2047,” the Prime Minister stated. He went on to say that all of the festivities had some connection to agriculture. “Saint Tiruvallur has remarked that ‘Good harvest, educated men, and honest traders together construct the nation’. It is customary to offer God the first harvest on Pongal. Our farmers are the foundation of this tradition. Actually, agriculture plays a part in every one of our celebrations,” he remarked. The Prime Minister went on to say that Shree Anna, or millet grains, are produced by over three crore farmers nationwide. If we promote Shree Anna, then it immediately benefits these three crore farmers. On the holy day of Pongal, PM Modi also took part in a cultural event at Murugan’s home. Tamils celebrate the harvest festival of Pongal. It’s an occasion to give thanks to the Sun, the natural world, and all the farm animals that support a plentiful harvest. In addition to being observed over four days, Pongal also heralds the start of Thai, an auspicious month in Tamil.
