Pongal 2020: Members of the Tamil community celebrate Pongal at Dharavi in Mumbai

Pongal is one of the most popular harvest festivals, primarily associated with the southern parts of the Indian subcontinent, which is celebrated by the diaspora around the globe. It marks the auspicious beginning of Uttarayan, the beginning of the sun’s journey northward. This four-day festival is usually celebrated in mid-January during the month of ‘Thai’ when staple crops like rice are harvested. Also known as Thai Pongal, the festival is celebrated with a ritualistic event of boiling freshly harvested rice with fresh milk and jaggery in a new clay pot. It is believed that when boiling the concoction, allowing it to spill over the pot is an auspicious sign of material abundance and prosperity. (Express photo: Prashant Nadkar)

Tamil residents of Mumbai's Dharavi celebrate Pongal. (Express photo: Prashant Nadkar)

Devotees prepare a traditional sweet dish on open fires during an event marking Pongal festivities. (Express photo: Prashant Nadkar)

The tradition of boiling rice signifies the gradual heating of Earth by the sun. (Express photo: Prashant Nadkar)

Festivities begin with women boiling the harvested rice and making an offering to the Sun god. (Express photo: Prashant Nadkar)

Other Pongal traditions include drawing kolam (drawing or rangoli made from rice flour, chalk and chalk powder), playing on a swing and cooking traditional delicacies. (Express photo: Prashant Nadkar)

The kolam or rangoli made using rice flour is drawn to welcome goddess Laxmi, who is believed to bring wealth, prosperity and happiness in the household. (Express photo: Prashant Nadkar)

According to the legends, the harvesting festival of Pongal can be traced back to the Sangam age (200 B.C.E -300 C.E). (Express photo: Prashant Nadkar)

Pongal originated as a Dravidian festival and is mentioned in the Hindu religious texts of Sanskrit Puranas. (Express photo: Prashant Nadkar)

The first day of Pongal, known as Bhogi Pongal, is dedicated to god Indra. (Express photo: Prashant Nadkar)

The second day also known as Surya Pongal, and is dedicated to the worship of Surya, the Sun God. Boiled milk and jaggery is offered to the Sun god. (Express photo: Prashant Nadkar)

The third day or Mattu Pongal is to honour and show gratitude towards cattle stock. (Express photo: Prashant Nadkar)

On Kaanum Pongal, the fourth and the last day, which also means ‘to visit’, people come together and hold a grand reunion. (Express photo: Prashant Nadkar)