Celebrate the harvest at the Indian Heritage Centre (IHC) this Pongal! Traditionally observed over four days, Pongal is a harvest festival to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. This year, the IHC Pongal Open House welcomes everyone to join in the festivities with an exciting array of programmes on 7 and 8, 14 and 15 January 2023.
Themed Farm-tastic, this year’s open house takes visitors back to the festival’s agricultural roots. The Little India Heritage Trail – Pongal Edition will give visitors a taste of the early days of the precinct when it was bustling with cattle and bullock carts. This is an apt introduction to the significance of cattle in the festival.
Pongal Cooking Workshop
For nature-lovers, the Kranji Farm Tour offers a hands-on experience in the art of jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) making and thoranam (hanging decorations) weaving. Participants will also get to fill their stomachs with a unique Farm-to-Table Dining Experience, or immerse in the festivities by learning how to make pongal the traditional way at the Pongal Cooking Workshop.
Kolam making
Adding to the colour in the Little India precinct, IHC will be attempting to enter the Singapore Book of Records by making the biggest and longest kolam. Visitors to IHC can let their creativity flow with a series of free craft activities that include personalised kolam designs and cow fridge magnets. IHC’s special Pongal backdrop is also perfect for a photo moment with family and friends (photos are printed instantly!) or to post on social media!
Other Pongal-themed programmes include storytelling sessions, live pottery demonstrations, street performances, and guided tours of IHC.
Registration is required for selected programmes at https://ihc-programmes.peatix.
Permanent Residents (PRs).
For more information, visit http://indianheritage.org.sg or IHC’s Facebook page.
Interesting facts about Pongal
1. The festival marks the end of the winter solstice and is named for its signature dish pongal, where rice is boiled with milk and brown sugar in new clay pots till it overflows. Cheers of “pongalo pongal!” (hail Pongal!) erupt when the pot of rice froths and boils over, to signify wishes for overflowing fortunes for the new year.
2. Cattle play a prominent role in Pongal. They are revered in Hinduism as a source of goodness with milk that nourishes all, and are also an important part of daily life in the agricultural regions of India. Milk is one of the key ingredients of the pongal dish, and the cow itself is honoured during the festival for the work it does in ploughing the land and contributing to a good harvest.
3. Little India’s many links with cattle further illustrates their importance. Road names such as Buffalo Road, Kerbau (Malay for buffalo) Road and Belilios Lane (named after a well-known cattle trader) attest to this. Live cows are still often seen in Little India during important festival like Pongal and Deepavali.
Celebrate the harvest at the Indian Heritage Centre (IHC) this Pongal! Traditionally observed over four days, Pongal is a harvest festival to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. This year, the IHC Pongal Open House welcomes everyone to join in the festivities with an exciting array of
programmes on 7 and 8, 14 and 15 January 2023.
Programme Highlights for Pongal Open House 2023
Free Pongal Craft Activities & Photobooth
Venue: Indian Heritage Centre
Date: 7 & 8, 14 & 15 January 2023
Time: 10am – 5pm
Admission fee: Free
Commemorate Pongal with your own personalised stationery! From printing intricate kolam designs on notebooks to designing your own cow fridge magnets, let your creativity flow! Get your picture printed instantly against our special Pongal backdrop and decorate the frame with stickers of your choice.
Live Pottery Demonstration
Venue: Indian Heritage Centre
Date: 7 & 8, 12 – 15 January 2023
Time: 10am – 5pm
Admission fee: Free
Come see an artisan at work in a live demonstration and get little souvenirs from the craftsman himself.
Live Street Performances
Venue: Indian Heritage Centre
Date: 7 & 8, 14 & 15 January 2023
Time: 11am – 12pm, 4pm – 5pm
Admission fee: Free
Discover the essence of Pongal through interactive performances that showcase different traditions and practices of the festival through traditional folk dances and songs. Part of the segment will require audience participation, so get ready to join in the fun!
Free Pongal Tasting
Venue: Indian Heritage Centre
Date: 7 & 8, 14 & 15 January 2023
Time: 12pm – 12.30pm
Admission fee: Free
Curious about what the pongal dish tastes like? You’re in for a treat as free pongal will be distributed while stocks last. Head down to IHC and try this traditional rice dish for yourself!
Free Museum Guided Tour
Venue: Indian Heritage Centre
Dates and timings:
? 7 & 8 January 2023, 2pm – 3pm
? 12 & 13 January 2023, 11am – 12.00pm
? 14 & 15 January 2023, 2pm – 3pm
Admission fee: Free
Join us for free guided tours of IHC’s galleries with our docents and discover the treasures within.
Tanjore Art Workshop
Venue: Indian Heritage Centre
Date: 7 & 8, 14 & 15 January 2023
Time: 1pm – 4pm
Admission fee: $10
Register at https://ihc-programmes.peatix.
Tanjore paintings are known for their extravagant depictions of deities with the use of vibrant colours and embellishments. Try your hand at creating your very own Tanjore masterpiece.
Kids Pongal Storytelling & Craft Session
Venue: Indian Heritage Centre
Date: 7 & 8, 14 & 15 January 2023
Time: 2pm – 3.30pm
Admission fee: $10
Register at https://ihc-programmes.peatix.
Join this storytelling session as Grandma explains the significance of the four different days of Pongal to her granddaughter. With guided craft and brainstorming activities, and dances to follow along to, learn more about Pongal through this interactive session.
Farm-to-Table Dining Experience
Venue: Indian Heritage Centre
Date: 12 & 13 January 2023
Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Admission fee: $20
Register at https://ihc-programmes.peatix.
Enjoy a sumptuous vegetarian meal served on a banana leaf as our host, Joyce, explains the significance of the dishes served and the importance they hold for Pongal.
Little India Heritage Trail – Pongal Edition
Venue: Indian Heritage Centre
Date: 14 & 15 January 2023
Time: 11am – 12.30pm
Admission fee: $10
Register at https://ihc-programmes.peatix.
Learn about the significance of the cattle in the Pongal festival though this trail around the historic Little India precinct. Get a taste of the early days of the precinct when it was bustling with cattle and bullock carts, and find out how Buffalo Road, Kerbau Road and Belilios Lane got their names.
Kranji Farm Tour
Venue: Indian Heritage Centre
Date: 14 & 15 January 2023
Time: 9am – 1pm, 2pm – 6pm
Admission fee: $15
Register at https://ihc-programmes.peatix.
Enjoy a retreat in nature with hands-on experiences in the art of jaggery (unrefined canesugar) making and thoranam (hanging decorations) weaving, amongst other fun activities. This cultural farm tour will whisk you away from the bustle of the city to bask in the essence of Pongal.
Pongal Cooking Workshop
Venue: Indian Heritage Centre
Date: 14 & 15 January 2023
Time: 10am – 11am
Admission fee: $10
Register at https://ihc-programmes.peatix.
Get in the Pongal spirit by learning to make the pongal dish the traditional way – outdoors and with an open fire. Learn about the nuances of the ingredients that go into making pongal, just like how it’s been done for generations.
