SPEECH OF HON’BLE GOVERNOR PUNJAB AND ADMINISTRATOR, UT CHANDIGARH, SHRI BANWARI LAL PUROHIT ON THE OCCASION OF PONGAL CELEBRATIONS AT BHARATHI BHAWAN, SECTOR 30, CHANDIGARH ON JANUARY 21, 2024 AT 11.00 AM

  • PRB
  • 2024-01-21 12:20

TALKING POINTS - "PONGAL CELEBRATIONS" (21ST JANUARY 2024)

 Heartiest Pongal wishes to each and every one of you!

 Pongal is the celebration of the bounty of nature.

 It is the expression of profound gratitude to nature for nourishing and sustaining life.

 Pongal is one of the most popular and most fervently celebrated harvest festivals of South India.

 Here in North, in Punjab, Baisakhi is the harvest festival which is celebrated in month of April.

 Pongal marks the initiation of Uttarayan (उत्तरायण) the sun’s movement towards the North for a six month period. It is considered very auspicious. Sun enters zodiac sign Capricorn (मकर राशि)so also called मकर संक्रांति.

 India is known as the land of festivals.

 Every month of the calendar holds one festival or the other, celebrated by different communities.

 But what is unique about India is that, because of its strong cultural foundations, people celebrate festivals rising above the lines of region, religion and community.

 Our festivals have acted as a strong unifying force, binding the country together through shared joy, love and brotherhood.

 Promoting “Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat”, now in Punjab Raj Bhavan also we celebrate Statehood Days (Tamil Nadu Day was celebrated on November 1).

 I know that Tamils came to Chandigarh about 5 decades ago when City Beautiful was established after independence and stayed on.

 Your hand in building and maintaining the City Beautiful is highly appreciated.

 From Chennai to California, from Madurai to Melborune, from Coimbatore to Cape Town, from Salem to Singapore, we find Tamil people, who have carried with them their culture and traditions.

 I have been Governor of Tamil Naidu. I understand the character of Tamilians. Their contribution in the fields of medicine, law and academics is incomparable.

 

 Who would not be inspired by Dr. Kalam?

 Can the talk of modern India without taking of                                     (C. Rajagopalachari) and his philosophy?

 You as the Chandigarh Tamil Sangam have been helping society through many activities.

 You celebrate FESTIVAL OF CHARITY in which you assist differently abled individuals and help them lead normal routines.

 Your distributing woollen clothes to the needy through FESTIVAL OF SHARING WARMTH is an example to others to follow.

 Under Bal Vikas Program, you distribute text books, note books & stationery to the children from economically poor back ground.

 Your involvement in serving the humanity in distributing food (Langar) on all Fridays, throughout the year at hospitals and at your Bhawan is also an act of appreciation.

 Celebrating Pongal, I believe will help in taking our unique festivals to younger generations, to our children, so that they are made aware of the legacy of the grand civilization which they have inherited.

 On this auspicious occasion, let us all resolve to protect our glorious culture, traditions, customs, arts and festivals.

 May this festival fill everyone’s lives with abundant prosperity!

 May everyone be blessed with good health!

Thank you,

Jai Hind.