Bhogi Bonfires Ignite Pongal Festivities Across South India

Rao celebrated Bhogi Pongal at Andhra University grounds in Visakhapatnam, performing traditional rituals including lighting the bonfire and chanting mantras to mark the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, he said, "Today marks the beginning of the four-day Sankranti festival. On Bhogi day, the first day of the festival, we pray to God to end any negativity we have experienced in the past and to bring prosperity and happiness to everyone. This morning, we lit a bonfire, chanted mantras and conducted a pooja karyakram for Agnidev. May this Sankranti bring happiness in the lives of everyone."

Andhra Pradesh is celebrating Sankranti, the state's biggest harvest festival, with traditional fervour, and elaborate preparations are underway across districts. Beyond being a day of cleaning and discarding old times, the four-day festival, beginning with Bhogi, is seeing increased activity in villages and towns as people return to their hometowns to celebrate with family.

In Chennai, residents lit bonfires outside their homes in a symbolic act of letting go and end of winter and embracing the new start of a new era in the Tamil month of Thai.

Furthermore, heavy traffic was witnessed late last night on the Chennai-Chengalpattu Highway. As the Pongal festival is set to be celebrated across Tamil Nadu from January 15, many people have begun leaving Chennai in advance to reach their hometowns.

Moreover, women drew colourful kolam patterns on the ground using rice flour and colored powders, and children participated enthusiastically, beating drums to celebrate the arrival of the Tamil New Year.

Meanwhile, in Telangana, Hyderabad saw people celebrating Bhogi Pongal with traditional bonfire rituals and dancing.

With the onset of the traditional Tamil festival Pongal, commercial activity has increased in the Thoothukudi market area. All varieties of agricultural produce required for the Pongal celebrations -- including vegetables, fruits, sugarcane, turmeric, ginger, new rice varieties, jaggery, clay pots, and other essentials -- have been stocked in large quantities for sale.

Residents from Thoothukudi city and nearby villages are thronging the market to purchase festival essentials to celebrate Pongal with their families. As a result, the market area is experiencing heavy crowds, and traders are conducting sales with great enthusiasm.

Additionally, farmers from districts such as Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar, and Madurai have brought their produce directly to the market for sale. With adequate availability of goods, the public is purchasing items to their satisfaction based on their requirements.

Due to the Pongal festival rush, traffic congestion has been reported in the market area. In response, the police and municipal authorities have made arrangements to ensure security and maintain sanitation. With bustling trade activities, the Thoothukudi market area is enveloped in a vibrant festive atmosphere.

- ANI