January 11 - 19: Pongal Holidays for schools in Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu government has declared a 5-day holiday for all educational institutions in the state, including schools and colleges, on the occasion of Pongal. The holiday will start on January 14 and continue until January 19, allowing students and staff to participate in the festivities and celebrations.

Pongal, indeed a harvest festival significant in Tamil Nadu, is a four-day celebration with honour attributed to the sun god Lord Surya as well as to the goddess of prosperity, Lakshmi. The festival is an integral part of Tamil culture and is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour across the state.

Besides Pongal, the Tamil Nadu government has also declared holidays for Thiruvalluvar Day on January 15 and the Uzhavar Thirunal festival on January 16. Thiruvalluvar Day is a celebration of the life and works of the great Tamil poet and philosopher, Thiruvalluvar, while the Uzhavar Thirunal festival celebrates the farmers and agricultural community of Tamil Nadu.

The consecutive holidays surrounding the Pongal festival have therefore presented a new challenge to the government. If many government employees take an additional day off on January 13, it is a possibility that government operations will come to a standstill for a total of nine days. This would leave an impact on the proper functioning of several government departments and services, such as healthcare, transportation, and public utilities.

Despite the possible problems, the Tamil Nadu government has stressed that Pongal and other festivals must be celebrated because they are a part of the state's rich cultural heritage. The government asked citizens to celebrate the festivities and events while keeping the essential services and emergency operations running without interruptions.

Also read: January 6 Holiday for schools in these states