Thai pongal is dedicated to Lord Suyan. According to tradition, the festival marks the end of winter solstice, and the start of the Sun’s six-month-long journey northwards called Uttarayana when the Sun enters Capricorn. The festival is named after the ceremonial “Pongal”, which means “boiling over” or “overflow” in Tamil language and refers to the traditional dish prepared by boiling rice with milk and jaggery.
