A land of customs and ethnicity, South India is intensely deep-rooted in firm festival celebrations that revolve around past rituals and beliefs. It is a great blend of rural festivities revolving around traditions and the temple related festivals that revolve around the famous temples of South India. But mainly, there are 2 festivals of south India that have special significance, in terms of celebrations as well as popularity and the nature of people’s participation. They are...   

• Pongal Festival
• Onam Festival/Kerala Boat Race

Kerala Boat Race

Boat Races in Kerala are part of a great weak of festivities to mark the arrival of the harvest season in the form of Onam in the state of Kerala. Boat races are held to celebrate the onset of Onam, in the months of August/September.

Plenty of long and snake like boats come to participate in these events. The race starts with lively performance of artistes, dancers performing on the boats floating in the waters and goes on till late in the evening.

Also famous as the biggest team sport held throughout the world, these boat races are then followed by a colorful water march. Also famous as Nehru Trophy Boat Race, this cultural event of Kerala attracts plenty of visitors from far & near. The trophy presented to the winning team is also named after the late Prime Minister of INDIA; Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.

Nehru Trophy Boat Race is one of the popular events to be held in Kerala which is keenly awaited by the people every year. Sitting areas in the form of pavilions on both sides of the river are set up for spectators to watch on the excitement. The race has 2 versions one for the men and the other for the women to compete for honors.

Pongal Festival

Pongal festival marks the beginning off a fresh New Year in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The festival is celebrated every year from 13 to 16 of January to pray for the onset of good harvest conditions; so that the people can be blessed with prosperity in the future. After the harvest season is over, the folks then pray to the almighty, thanking him for the benevolence and affection that has helped in bringing this crop and cattle harvest to a fruitful end. For four days, the people of Tamilnadu celebrate with abandon and worship with devotion. Each day of this festival has a special significance; however, it is celebrated more grandly in the villages, because they celebrate it throughout the all 4 days of the festival.

Preparations for the festival of Pongal start early and the first thing that you notice before Pongal is the Kolam. This is a form of decoration made in front of all the homes in Tamilnadu. This decoration is made from a preparation of rice flour & is usually drawn at the front entrance to the house. The idea of having such a decoration is to serve as a symbol of welcome for the incoming guests to the house. At the center of the Kolam lies a heap of cow-dung holding a 5 petalled flower; symbolic of fertility.

This harvest festival in Tamil Nadu also indicates the withdrawal of southeast monsoons and the beginning of happy days of reaping of the harvest.