By NISSHANTANY A/P THINAGARAN & DR AHMAD SAUFFIYAN BIN ABU HASAN
(Mr. Kumar, the VIP guest, is officiating the Ponggal Thiruvizha 2026)
TANJUNG MALIM - The Ponggal celebrations that took place in Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) enabled students from diverse cultures to come together in the celebration of culture, tradition, and unity. This event took place within the university premises, with the objective of educating students on the importance of Ponggal, which is one of the main festivals of the Indians. The students celebrated this festival with an aim of maintaining their cultural heritage and enhancing relations among the members of the university community. It was an indication of the university's effort to promote cultural diversity among its students.
Ponggal is celebrated as a thanksgiving festival where people express their thanks to nature, farmers, and harvest season. This is a very positive festival as it expresses thankfulness, prosperity, and new beginnings. Students had a chance to learn about the traditions associated with this festival.
Various activities took place during the event. Some of these activities included the traditional cooking of Ponggal, cultural shows, games, and other activities. One of the activities carried out at this event was the preparation of sweet ponggal. This was done using milk and Jaggery and is regarded as a traditional food that is made during this festival. It also marked the event whereby milk would spill over. Apart from this activity, there were also cultural shows whereby Indian traditional music and dancing took place. These shows not only attracted people but also gave them an idea of what Indian culture was all about. There were also other games and activities that people got to enjoy. Students from different faculties and even different cultures joined in to make this a successful event. They took advantage of this opportunity to interact with each other and gain information about traditions that were foreign to them.
Mr Kumar, VIP of Ponggal Thiruvizha 2026 takes part in preparing ponggal with his family
Jegadeesha Pannirchelvam, one of the participants of Ponggal Celebration spoke about how the celebration helps students regain their connection to their cultural background while pursuing education away from home. "To have Ponggal celebration at UPSI, gives me a sense of belonging to my culture and I feel connected to my roots. At the same time, I get to share my culture with people of other cultures as well," Jegadeesha explained. Jegadeesha explained that it is essential to have cultural events such as this, where one can not only celebrate his culture but also introduce it to others. Such events help build a sense of community among those who may be far away from their families.
In another interview, Nehasni Dhamodharan emphasized the value of cultural programs that help to develop a sense of cohesion and respect among the students. "The program not only has elements of celebration but it also intends to bring people together. It helps students from different ethnic backgrounds understand and appreciate each other's cultures," said Nehasni. As per her opinion, the educational institutes play an important part in encouraging a spirit of tolerance and inclusiveness in students. Participation in these kinds of events makes students familiar with the multi-culture society of Malaysia and also build relationships with their peers. The participants mentioned that the program was very educational for them. Students who were ignorant about Ponggal gained much information about the event by participating in it.
The success of the event highlights the need for preservation of cultural heritage within a modern educational setting. As more and more diverse people enroll into universities, the need for events that would help foster friendship and understanding between these cultures becomes ever more pressing. The Ponggal event managed to create a friendly atmosphere in which not only did participants get to enjoy the festivities but they were also able to build on their relationships. The process of interacting and experiencing different cultures was instrumental in instilling the importance of respecting other cultures.
In conclusion, the Ponggal festival proved very useful for establishing cultural connections and promoting unity at UPSI University. The cultural celebrations helped people of different nations to come closer to each other by focusing the value of cultural differences and understanding.