CELEBRATING Pongal in schools, especially primary schools, is vital to inculcate an appreciation of Hindu religious traditions and Indian cultural customs among students.
SJKT Bayan Lepas headmaster, Sri Jeevagowry Anthony Dass, shared this during the school’s recent Pongal celebration, highlighting the important role such celebrations play in schools.
According to Sri Jeevagowry, when traditions are forgotten, the community itself will be forgotten, as these customs form the very foundation of its identity.
“Among the activities carried out for students during the celebration were ‘thoranai’ (decorative ornaments woven from coconut leaves) making and flower-tying for upper primary students (Years 4, 5, and 6).
“Meanwhile, colouring activities were organised for lower primary students (Years 1, 2, and 3).
“Through activities such as ‘thoranai’ making and flower-tying, students can develop skills that may one day help them earn a living, turning these traditional crafts into a potential source of livelihood for the future,” Sri Jeevagowry added.
Apart from academics, Sri Jeevagowry shared that the school places emphasis on skills development.
“We conduct classes such as sangeetham (music), tabla (musical instrument), chess, silambam, and karate to nurture students’ talents beyond the classroom. By learning traditional skills, the tradition lives on, as it forms part of our identity.
“While parents may share traditions and customs at home, I believe it is the responsibility of schools to help students understand and appreciate them. We want students to be deeply rooted in their culture.
“In addition to these, we also focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) activities, such as robotics classes,” she said.
Sri Jeevagowry also shared that demonstrations of traditional dances, such as ‘mayilattam’ and ‘karagattam,’ as well as the musical instrument ‘paarai,’ are also conducted at the school.
At the celebration, R. Vairavasundaram, founder of Persatuan Sukan dan Rekreasi Juara Pulau Pinang (SPARK), demonstrated various exercises and postures to the students and highlighted the importance of staying mentally and physically fit.
Story & Pix by Tanushalini Moroter