Thai Pongal — celebrated by Tamil communities worldwide — brings a rich tradition to the celebration of, and gratitude for, nature and the sun.
“The festival is dedicated to expressing gratitude to nature, particularly the sun, for a bountiful harvest,” said Sanjevan Bala, who is the secretary of the Innisfil Tamil Association. He explained that Thai Pongal is “one of the most significant festivals in Tamil culture and typically falls in mid-January.”
Founded in November 2023, the association is hosting a free event to celebrate Tamil Heritage Month and Thai Pongal on Saturday, Jan. 18, in the Stroud Innisfil Banquet Hall, which is on the second floor of the Stroud Innisfil Community Centre Arena (7883 Yonge St.). Doors will open at 2 p.m. and the program will begin at 3.
Mayor Lynn Dollin and Scarborough-Rouge Park MPP and Ontario associate housing minister Vijay Thanigasalam — the first Tamil-Canadian to be appointed to such a post — will be in attendance.
“We have a growing Tamil community in Innisfil and are delighted to celebrate Thai Pongal — the harvest festival — with them during Tamil Heritage Month,” said Mayor Lynn Dollin. “Innisfil is a very diverse community and we truly welcome everyone and want to celebrate all cultures and traditions, such as Thai Pongal, which is a time of laughter and peace for friends and family to come together.”
“We are incredibly proud and grateful to have (the) mayor ... and the Innisfil councillors attending this event. Their presence means a great deal to us, and we sincerely appreciate the time they’ve dedicated to celebrating our community,” Bala said.
“We are also honoured to have ... Thanigasalam, a young Tamil leader who has achieved so much and done so many things to promote our culture; he is seen as a source of inspiration to many of our young members; he continues to support and uplift the Tamil community, and we are grateful for his presence at events that promote and celebrate Tamil culture.”
Bala told InnisfilToday that the festival marks the beginning of the Tamil month, Thai, which means January. It’s a tradition in Tamil communities that everyone cleans the house, and the front entrance is decorated with the Kolam, which will be on display on Saturday.
A special prayer is recited on Thai Pongal, which fell on Jan. 15 this year, and a dish called pongal — primarily made up of rice, yellow moong dal and sugarcane — is shared with family and friends. He noted that pongal and other items, such as vadai, payasam, and coconut chutney, will be available at the event.
“This event is created as a cultural educational event where we will be having artifacts that were used by our previous generation but forgotten or lost in time by the current generation to see (and) feel and connect back with Tamil culture,” Bala said, who noted that attending this event is one of the ways for the community a learn more about the growing Tamil population in Innisfil.
This year’s Tamil Heritage Month’s theme is Celebrating Tamil Arts and Honouring Tamil Artists.
“The agenda will take you on a journey back in time, immersing you in the rich traditions of Tamil culture through vibrant music, captivating dance performances, and authentic, delicious cuisine," Bala said. "The guests we have invited represent a new generation of leaders who are passionately promoting and driving Tamil culture forward in the modern world who are bridging tradition with modern (world) living conditions.”
When asked what Tamil Heritage Month and Thai Pongal mean to him, Bala explained that he feels pride for his culture, a connection to the community, a sense of belonging, and a reminder of resilience.
He noted, in part, the “month is an opportunity to celebrate my roots, language, and traditions. It’s a time to reflect on the rich history of our Tamil people and their contributions to the world in fields like art, literature, science, and philosophy … Both Thai Pongal and Tamil Heritage Month reflect the resilience and adaptability of Tamil culture, thriving across centuries and geographies.”
