Pongal: Feast of the harvest in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu's biggest harvest festival Pongal is celebrated on Tuesday. In the Tamil calendar, this is celebrated as the feast of the harvest season and it is just not sweet Pongal that is whetting the appetite of Chennaites this time. Ever heard of Iruttukadai halwa from Tirunelveli, Murukku from Manapparai, Palkova from Srivilliputhur, Virudhunagar Biryani and fried paraotta and Madurai's famous Jigarthanda, a heady mix of milk, badam and algae?