The Indian Heritage Centre Celebrates Pongal 2022

Welcome the new year this January at the Indian Heritage Centre with an immersive display of culture, tradition and thanksgiving in celebration of the Indian harvest festival Pongal.

Venue: Indian Heritage Centre
Dates: 8 - 16 Jan 2022
Admission: Free

From 8 to 16 January 2022, Indian Heritage Centre (IHC) presents a series of 28 on-site and online programmes that will immerse participants in the Pongal festivities. Highlights include heritage trails, Pongal pot painting, drop-in craft activities, and a Tanjore art workshop (a classical South Indian painting style). There will also be online offerings for those who prefer to stay home too! 

Activities organised by the IHC are usually quite popular, and it is no difference this year with most activites requiring sign-up already full. Below are the activities that are still available for sign-up or walk-in. 

Pongal 101 Little India Trail & Cultural Experience

Date: 10-13 January 2022
Time: 6.30pm
Venue: Indian Heritage Centre

Soak in the Pongal festivities at Campbell Lane and embark on an immersive trail to learn about harvest tradition basics through a variety of hands-on cultural activities.

Walking through the trail, you may also spot the temporary area where there are live cows and goats too! If you can't get tickets to the trail, do note that you don't need to be on the trail to visit this. 

Registration link: https://go.gov.sg/pongalworkshops (Limited slots left)

Think Tamil - Kids’ Pongal Storytelling Session 

Date: 8-9 and 15-16 January 2022
Time: 10am, 12.45pm, 4pm (Saturday)/ 10am, 1pm (Sunday), 1 hour per session
Venue: Indian Heritage Centre Activity Room
*Sessions are in English and Tamil

Learn about Pongal through an interactive puppetry session followed by child-friendly Pongal craft activities! The sessions are aimed at helping preschool kids connect with their mother tongue and to better understand the reason behind these cultural celebrations. 

Registration link: https://go.gov.sg/pongalworkshops (Limited slots remaining)

4 Days of Pongal Display 

Date: 8-16 January 2022 (Closed on Mon)
Time: 10am-8pm
Venue: Indian Heritage Centre

Discover the significance of Pongal through this colourful display that highlights the four days of the harvest festival at the Indian Heritage Centre. You will learn what each of the days represents. 

Indian Heritage Centre Drop-in Craft Activities 

Date: 8-16 January 2022 (Closed on Mon)
Time: 10am-8pm
Venue: Indian Heritage Centre

Try your hand at various free Pongal-themed drop-in craft activities when you visit the IHC Pongal Open House!

‘Pongalo Pongal!’ An Interactive Learning Portal

Embark on an interactive learning experience with the Indian Heritage Centre, and enjoy an array of fun quizzes, engaging videos and craft activities to learn more about Pongal.

Targeted at students aged 10 to 14, this specially created microsite will expound on different aspects of Pongal, such as the traditions that take place over the four-day festival, traditional Indian folk dances, Pongal cuisine, and how the festival is celebrated in Singapore.

AKT Pongal Story and Dance

Arts educator Rani Kanna tells the story of Pongal, and its importance to the farming community as they give thanks for the harvest of the year before and prepare for the one ahead. 

A skit depicting the significance of the festival and how various cultures celebrate it will complement Rani’s narration, making it an educational resource for audiences of all ages.

Available on IHC Facebook Page.

What is Pongal?

This video will feature home cook and aspiring chef Vithiya as she invites the audience into her home to partake in her Pongal celebrations. 

Viewers will get to soak in the festive vibes at Campbell Lane, learn how to make sakkarai (sweet) pongal, and join Vithiya’s family in celebrating the festival together with a sumptuous spread.

Available on IHC Facebook Page.

Pongal MTV

A vibrant cultural music video featuring the traditional folk dance forms karagam, kollaattam and mayilaattam accompanied by electrifying beats of Indian percussion instruments. An exclusive original music piece has been composed specially for this dance number, using traditional folk instruments to enhance the festive vibe.

Available on IHC Facebook Page.

Photo Credits: Indian Heritage Centre