The streets of Little India were lit up with colourful lights on Jan 10, marking the beginning of the Pongal festival celebrations.
The Pongal light-up event at Poli@Clive Street was a vibrant affair, featuring traditional dance performances like Mayilattam and Karagattam alongside the rhythmic beats of Parai and Urumi Melam percussion.
Organised by the Little India Shopowners’ and Heritage Association (LISHA), the event drew diverse audiences from various ethnic backgrounds.
Visitors also enjoyed seeing Viknesh Dairy Farm’s cattle lounging in a specially erected tent at the Poli open space, a signature annual sight for Maatu Pongal. A bull, two cows, calves, and goats were brought in on Jan 9 to join the festivities.
Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung was the guest of honour and lighted the traditional “kuthu vilakku” (oil lamp) on stage.
He was joined by Senior Minister of State for Law and Transport Murali Pillai and Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth and Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash.
Minister of State for National Development, Trade and Industry, Alvin Tan and Mayor of Central Singapore District Denise Phua were also in attendance. India’s High Commissioner Shilpak Ambule too graced the event.
Speaking at the event, Minister Ong highlighted how a successful harvest depends on factors like nature, the sun, and the hard work of humans and cattle, drawing a parallel to society.
“When we work hard together, we make ourselves useful. The result is a successful harvest,” he said.
The festive light-up spans nearly one kilometre, stretching from Tekka Place and stopping before Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple.
The event’s chairperson, Karthikeyan Venkatesan, said Pongal is one of LISHA’s flagship celebrations.
“Pongal in Little India has grown into a signature celebration, one that brings together not just the Indian community, but Singaporeans from all walks of life as well as visitors from around the world,” he added.
Ms Usharani, 56, shared that since Pongal falls at the beginning of the year, it feels like a positive start. “I especially love performing the prayers and eating sweet Pongal with my family on the festive day,” she said.
Mr Dharmar Ramasamy, 33, who has been working in the construction sector in Singapore for six years, attended the light-up ceremony for the first time. “In Tamil Nadu, you don’t usually see street lights like this for Pongal. Seeing it here is a unique experience,” he remarked.
He added that the rustic celebrations, the presence of cattle, and the community spirit made him feel right at home.
Alongside LISHA’s Pongal festivities, the Indian Heritage Centre (IHC) is also hosting a Pongal Open House featuring a series of special programmes across two weekends on Jan 10, 11, 17 and 18.
It has a village theme, featuring traditional crafts, storytelling, pottery demos and a market.
The vibrant cultural celebration also involves cultural performances, hands-on art (like Tanjore painting) and free snacks, with ticketed workshops available for a deeper dive into traditions, all designed to foster community and cultural understanding.
More details on this: ihc-pongal-open-house-2026.peatix.com
The public can enjoy the Pongal light-up until Feb 8. For more details on the Pongal festival, visit https://pongal.sg/.
