Palaniswamy, a farmer who owns a bull did not buy new clothes for Pongal.
In Tamil Nadu's culture capital Madurai the Sivaji family has not forgotten their agrarian roots. So they prepared Pongal literally in the open outside their house using freshly harvested rice, jaggery in brand new pots and thanking the sun God, also remembering farmers.
Dr. Sivaji Ganesan, a Professor says "It's a thanks giving day to God for the good harvest."
For daughter Aruna, an engineering student the festival is an opportunity to flaunt her traditional half sari, a rarity in cities.
Not far away at Alanganallur, people observed the day as black Pongal as the Supreme Court's has put on hold their traditional bull taming sport - Jallikattu.
Palaniswamy, a farmer who owns a bull did not buy new clothes for Pongal. For the second consecutive year their bull, Raja they say is not able to prove his mettle in Jallikattu.
He added: "We are sad that there's no place for Tamil Nadu's traditional bravery sport. We've been losing cattle and family income since then. We are worried. We want Jallikattu back".