Chennai: Just as crackers light up the spirit of Deepavali, it is the crunching sweetness of sugarcane that brings the Pongal spirit to the city. The delicacy available in plenty during this season for consumption has flooded the local market with loads arriving by the hour.
Sugarcane has got its market even outside the country with it being exported across the seas for Tamils to make their Pongal extra sweet. V.R. SoundarÂyarajan, a trader at Koyambedu wholesale market, says, “Sales began on Sunday and will catch up by Monday. The rates this year have been the same as last but the selling capacity has increased with more buyers flocking to the market.”
The variety of sugarcane being touted as the best is from Madurai and Theni for being juicy and longer. SoundaÂryarajan says, “The ones from Madurai are more than six inches long. The others are brouÂght from Perambalur and Thanjavur and are less than five inches.”
This year, sugarcane is being priced between Rs150 and Rs300 for a bundle which contains 20 pieces. Another trader from the city’s wholesale market says, “Today, almost 60 trucks have arrived with sugarcane and sales will catch up as demand is high.”
Raja D, an employee with an international exporÂter in the city, says, “We sell sugarcane to four countries, including Australia, Canada, Sharjah and France. Sale is in the Pongal week alone for Tamils settled there.”
He adds, “The set being sent overseas is of the best quality with the edible stem alone being sent with the roots pruned. Sales have increased and there is also a slight increase in price.”
Next: Urbanites love flavour of rural festival
Urbanites love flavour of rural festival
J V Siva Prasanna Kumar | DC
Chennai: Despite shrinking farmlands and increasing vehicular traffic, the Pongal festival continues to retain its charm among urbanites. While sugarcane, turmeric, pots and drums herald the advent of Bhogi and Pongal, the festivities associated with this harvest festival, particularly Kaanum Pongal, is the biggest ever outing of the year for families in the city and suburbs.
Keeping in tune with the mood of the people and also to showcase the rich culture and tradition linked to celebrating Pongal, the state tourism department has instructed its tourist officers in all the districts to organise a Pongal tourism festival in a grand manner for the benefit of foreign and domestic tourists. At most of the destinations, the foreigners would be encouraged to join the womenfolk in the state to cook sweet pongal (made with rice and jaggery) in pots.
“This is not only a thanksgiving festival to the Sun God but also an occasion to bestow love and care on animals, especially cattle,” says Paramahamsa Sri Bharadwaj Swamy, pontiff of Sri Yohamaya Bhuvaneswari Peetam, here. Sages of yore have underscored the importance of preserving cattle, which also help farmers, and, hence, have dedicated a day to them – Mattu Pongal - during this mega harvest festival, he adds.
Emphasising that it would be appropriate to conduct ‘go puja’ on Mattu Pongal day, he said it has been the practice at the peetam to perform this since the last seven decades, and this year, too, it has been planned to do the puja. Interestingly, the peetam, which has over 20 cows, does not sell milk. Instead, it is used as offering and for preparing curd rice and distributing to devotees.
As far as Chennai is concerned, thousands of families head to Marina beach, Besant Nagar beach, Guindy ChildrÂen’s Park, Vandalur Zoo and the boathouses at Muttukadu and Mudaliyarkuppam. Predictably, traffic in most places, particularly on the roads leading to beaches and other popular haunts, leads to congestion.
Next: Veggie prices stable
Veggie prices stable
Chennai: Owing to Pongal, the crowd at Koyambedu wholesale market has swelled and so has the prices of some vegetables and fruits that are in demand. Though the prices of some vegetables have seen a slight increase, those of others have come down, compared to last week.
Turmeric, bananas and sugarcane reign the highest on the customers list as Pongal sets in in the state. “Bananas that are used in plenty during the week and their prices have doubled. The small yellow bananas also saw an increase in sales on Sunday. This week, in almoÂst every house you will find banaÂnas,” says V.S. Soundaryarajan, a trader at Koyambedu market.
While some vegetables saw a fall in price like beans, which sold at Rs25 last week - this week it was priced at Rs20 in the wholesale market on Sunday. Similarly, shallots’ (small onions’) price went up by Rs5 to Rs40 this week.
Traders in the market say onions and some vegetables may see a slight increase in prices as the week progresses.
Ms Gayathri Narasimhan, a housewife and an IT employee, says, “I have already done my shopping for Pongal. The prices of commodities seem to be the same as last year with only a slight increase.”
She adds, “ The city celebration though lacks the participation level that villages exhibit.”
