【Highlight】The Harvest Festival - Pongal 2021
Pongal Celebration in Taiwan - 2021
The Indians in National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU), Keelung City, Taiwan celebrated the Pongal festival in the campus on 9th January 2021. The Indians in NTOU, which includes 8 students and 2 postdoctoral fellows organized the Pongal festival with the support of the Office of the International Affairs (OIA), NTOU. Traditional Tamil Nadu cuisines like sweet pongal, white pongal, vada, and samosa prepared by the Indians in NTOU were provided at the beginning of the event. The Pongal celebration was started with Tamil Prayer (Tamil Thai Vaazhthu) and inaugurated by lighting traditional Indian brass lamp by the chief guests Mr. Bijoy Das, Deputy Director-General of Indian Embassy in Taiwan, Dr. Ming-An Lee, Vice President of NTOU, and Dr. I-Shiung Chen, Dean of the International Affairs, NTOU.
Mr. Sandipan Mondal, the President of Indians in NTOU welcomed the chief guests, participants, and the performers. All the chief guests spoke about the need for better understanding between India and Taiwan through further cultural exchange and cooperation in education and research. Mr. Vikram Paul introduced the Indians in NTOU to the guests. Dr. Binesh Unnikrishnan gave an introduction about the history of Tamil Nadu, Tamil Culture, and Pongal celebration. Many Indians studying and working in different parts of Taiwan, Taiwanese and other foreigners in Taiwan participated in the event.
The cultural activities started after the inauguration and welcome speech with Bharathanatyam (Indian classical dance) by Ms. Sneha Sundharan, Ph. D student at NTHU in Hsinchu. A variety of colorful dance and art programs were performed, Ballet dance and English song (by Baby Agnishikha Binesh), Tamil Kuttu and Bollywood Hop ( by Krishn and Tarun), Bollywood Remix group dance (Bhajan Dance Group, Taiwan citizens, Taipei), Kathak Bollywood dance (by Durga Dance group, Taiwan Citizens, Tapei), Tolly-Bolly fusion song by Zora (Taiwan citizen), Bollywood dance (by Shakthi Dance Group, Taiwan citizens, Taipei), NTU Happy Feet Bollywood fusion dance by students from National Taiwan University, Indian – Taiwan folk Fusion (Rajat and Tracy), Indian Fusion dance by the Mermaids (Indians in NTOU) and Rock & Roll band by Upside Down group. Dr. Athira Johnson delivered the vote of thanks.
The participants and performers highly appreciated the effort taken by Ms. Joyce Wu, OIA, NTOU, and Mr. Sandipan Mondal to organize the event and meeting between the Indian embassy and the NTOU President Office. And the program was concluded with the Indian National Anthem. Delicious Indian dinner was provided after the event. The Pongal celebration in NTOU provided an opportunity to exhibit Indian tradition and culture to Taiwanese and other foreigners. Mr. Bijoy Das, Deputy Director-General of the Indian Embassy in Taiwan had a meeting with the Vice President and Dean of the OIA of NTOU and discussed the possibilities of more cooperation between India and Taiwan in the field of education and research.