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Pongal Festival Celebrated with Tribal Communities in Coimbatore's Anaikatti

SimpliCity News Team · 09 Jan 2024

Coimbatore:

The 14th annual Pongal festival was celebrated with great enthusiasm in the mountain villages of Anaikatti in Coimbatore. Organized by the NMCT Foundation and Arima Associations, the festival was a significant event for the local tribal communities. College students and others joined the tribal people in preparing Pongal and performed traditional dances.

The Coimbatore Native Medicare Charitable Trust (NMCT) has been working for the social upliftment of the poor and hill-dwelling people for the past 35 years. Continuing this tradition, the trust annually invites all the tribal villages in the Anaikatti Kovanari area to celebrate the Pongal festival.

This year's celebration took place at the NABARD Grama Santhai premises near Anaikatti's Kovanari Union Middle School. The guests were welcomed traditionally by the tribal people with flowers and bamboo sticks. The celebration included special rituals, cooking of Pongal, and chanting of festive slogans.

The event was presided over by NMCT's administrative guardian A.S. Sankaranarayanan, with Arima Sangam Governor Ramkumar speaking at the occasion. DADCO District Manager Manimekalai and Coimbatore District Adi Dravidar Welfare Officer also attended as special invitees.

The celebration saw participation from college students, members of 21 Arima Sangams, software company employees, and tribal people. They engaged in lively dancing, adding to the festive atmosphere.

Later, welfare aid including new clothes, laptops, boats, and traditional tribal musical instruments were distributed to around 1000 families from 46 tribal villages. Members of the 21 Arima Sangams, software company employees, and tribal people contributed to the success of the event. Karikalan expressed gratitude at the conclusion, and lunch was provided to all attendees. The arrangements for the event were made by the Coimbatore Native Medicare Charitable Trust.

Pongal festival Anaikatti tribal communities Coimbatore NMCT cultural celebration

Pongal Festival Celebrated with Tribal Communities in Coimbatore's Anaikatti

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