A Pongal celebration held at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat under the leadership of MK Stalin has triggered shock and disquiet among Secretariat employees, after it emerged that Pongal was not cooked on-site, but instead sourced from a private catering firm and ceremonially served from blackened clay pots.
The government-organised Pongal event was held at the Secretariat campus in Chennai, where decorative pandals were erected at the Parade Ground. Four traditional Pongal pots were placed on stage, and firewood was lit in advance to give the appearance of ritual preparation. However, according to employees present at the venue, pre-cooked sakkarai pongal brought in from a catering company was poured into the pots shortly before the Chief Minister’s arrival.
Once MK Stalin arrived, he, along with Udhayanidhi Stalin, served the Pongal using ladles to attendees, creating the impression of a traditional celebration. Secretariat staff later expressed surprise and disappointment that the customary act of cooking Pongal was replaced with a symbolic exercise.
It is noteworthy that the Chief Minister, his son or the other DMK members/ministers present wore slippers/shoes during the auspicious event.
The event comes amid mounting expectations from government employees and teachers’ associations, who have been agitating for over four years on various demands. With Assembly elections expected in April, the State government recently announced concessions including changes to pension schemes, heightening scrutiny over official conduct.
Addressing the gathering, Stalin said Tamil Nadu was celebrating “Samathuva Pongal” across the State and reiterated that the DMK government was working towards the goal of “everything for everyone,” adding that government employees were partners in governance. Ministers, senior bureaucrats, and employee union representatives were present at the event.
In sharp contrast, a Pongal celebration held the same day in New Delhi at the residence of L Murugan saw Narendra Modi participate in traditional rituals with visible devotion. The Prime Minister lit the hearth, cooked Pongal in a new pot, performed aarti, fed decorated cattle, and ensured that footwear was removed by all attendees as a mark of reverence.
Observers noted that while the New Delhi celebration reflected ritual sincerity and cultural reverence, the Secretariat event in Chennai appeared procedural and symbolic, with footwear worn throughout and tradition reduced to optics.
Source: Dinamalar
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