'Little India' In Brickfields Abuzz With Shoppers Preparing To Celebrate Pongal

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 (Bernama) -- Just like the norm during festive seasons, 'Little India' in Brickfields is once again abuzz with people, especially the Indian community, seeking to get various necessities in preparation for the harvest festival or Pongal next Tuesday.

Thai Pongal, is a multi-day Hindu harvest festival celebrated by Tamils and observed in the month of Thai according to the Tamil solar calendar and usually falls on 14 or 15 January.

A survey by Bernama found that essential items needed during the Pongal celebration such as sugarcane, milk, brown sugar, flowers, mango leaves, fruits and clay pots are readily available and sold at reasonable prices.

Housewife K. Rukmani, 55, said this weekend was her last chance to go out and buy necessities and make final preparations to celebrate Pongal as her children will be busy with work commitments starting tomorrow.

"This is the final weekend before Pongal that I get to have my kids to bring me out to shop for things before they all get busy with work on Monday leaving me to panic for the prayer items on Tuesday," said Rukmani with a touch of humour.

She added that all the necessities needed for the Pongal celebration such as clay pots, sugar, milk, sugarcane and fruits were easily available in the area as many traders have set up stall to sell such items.

"There are many shops here that sell these essentials, so I can compare prices and get things at affordable prices," said Rukmani, who will be celebrating Pongal at home with her family.

A grocery store trader, M. Segar, 54, said his sales had picked during the weekend due to huge crowds seeking to purchase the necessary items in conjunction with the last weekend before Pongal is celebrated on Tueday.

"Usually, items used for prayers such as fruit, milk, and clay pots will be sold well during the Pongal season and most people come to buy goods in the evening and business goes on until late night," he said.

Another trader, M. Valarselvam, 48, said that every time before the Pongal festival, he and his son would take the opportunity to increase their livelihood by opening stalls selling various types of leaves needed for the festival.

"We will open this outlet for two days before the arrival of the Ponggal celebration every year. Usually, many customers come to buy these leaves to be used in prayer ceremonies and also to decorate their homes in conjunction with the Pongal festival," he said.

A traditional clothing vendor who only wanted to be known as Subash, 33, said many of his customers came to buy new clothes to celebrate the Pongal festival, which marks the beginning of the 10th month of the Tamil Calendar, known as 'Thai'.

"Many people come to buy clothes, sarees and so on, especially this weekend, to celebrate Pongal," he said.

A trader who only wanted to be known as Saro, 32, said flower sales as of this weekend was rather slow but expected to increase tomorrow given the Pongal festival which will be celebrated the day after tomorrow.

"Today sales is somewhat the same as usual but there are also those who still come to buy for the full moon prayer ceremony (Pournami) tomorrow. For Pongal, many people may be worried that the flowers they bought today will quickly wither and will not be able to continue to bloom until Tuesday," he said.

Pongal is ushered by the Indian community by providing sweet rice for family and friends as a sign of gratitude for a bountiful harvest and to pray for prosperity. 

-- BERNAMA