Mattu Pongal festival celebrated across Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: As part of the Pongal festival, one of the most important traditional celebrations of Tamil Nadu, Mattu Pongal is being celebrated with great enthusiasm across the state on Friday. Mattu Pongal, also known as Cow Pongal, is observed every year as a mark of gratitude to cattle, which play a vital role in agriculture and human life.

On the occasion of Mattu Pongal, cows, bulls, and other cattle were bathed, decorated, and worshipped at homes and farms. Turmeric, kumkum, and flower garlands were adorned on the cattle, and special prayers were offered. Traditional Pongal dishes were prepared and fed to the cattle as part of the rituals.

In Thoothukudi city, special prayers were conducted at the Vaikunda pathi PerumalTemple, where cows maintained in the temple gosala were brought to the temple premises and worshipped with due rituals.

#WATCH | Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu: Mattu Pongal is celebrated with grand festivities in Thoothukudi, with people honouring cattle by bathing, decorating, and worshipping them at Vaikunda Pathi Perumal Temple. pic.twitter.com/3caItPreX2

— ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2026

From early morning, Mattu Pongal celebrations began across the district. Farmers offered prayers along with their cattle in fields, gardens, and household premises, seeking good harvests and prosperity for their families.

The Mattu Pongal festival was celebrated across Tamil Nadu in a manner that reflected joy, tradition, and unity. Pongal is celebrated for four consecutive days in Tamil Nadu, with each day having its own importance.

Meanwhile, the first Jallikattu event of the year and one of its most prominent traditional competitions was held in a grand manner at Periya Suryur in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, on Thursday. The event was organised in connection with the annual festival of Sri Narkadal Kudi Karuppannasamy Temple, on the second day of the Tamil month Thai.

#WATCH | Tamil Nadu | Jallikattu is being held today in Tiruchirappalli. The arena for the event was inaugurated at Sooriyur by the Dy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin pic.twitter.com/6Qbmyh8sGL

— ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2026

For several years, the Jallikattu competition was conducted on a temporary village ground. Villagers had submitted a petition to Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh seeking a permanent arena. Following this, with the approval of Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, Rs 3 crore was sanctioned under the Tamil Nadu Sports Development Department for the construction of a permanent Jallikattu arena.

The construction has now been completed, and the newly built Jallikattu arena was recently inaugurated by the Deputy Chief Minister.

The arena is equipped with adequate safety arrangements, a vaadivaasal (bull release point), barricades, and spectator facilities. A gallery has been constructed to enable spectators to watch the event comfortably.

A total of 750 Jallikattu bulls and 500 bull tamers are participating in the competition, which is being conducted in 10 rounds at the Suryur arena.

In this year’s competition, a car has been announced as the first prize, while a two-wheeler will be awarded as the second prize. Additionally, all participants will be presented with veshtis and sarees as gifts.

The event commenced with the ceremonial release of the temple bull, followed by an oath taken by the bull tamers. District Collector Saravanan flagged off the competition, marking the official start of Trichy district’s first Jallikattu of the year. (ANI)