Foreign tourists take part in ''samathuva pongal''

Nagapattinam, Jan 14 (PTI) A group of foreign touriststoday got a first hand experience of Pongal (harvest festival)celebrations in Tamil Nadu when they participated in the''samathuva pongal'' event at Tarangambadi.

Tourists from Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, France andother countries got an idea of Indian culture and heritagethrough the ''Samathuva Pongal'' event held in the presence ofDistrict Collector C Munianathan

The tourists prepared and tasted sweet pongal. They alsoenjoyed the cultural programmes arranged on the occasion.

The Collector said the celebration at Tarangambadi, a placeof tourism importance, was a unique way to promote tourism andproject the greatness of Indian culture and heritage.

In a function held at the Collectorate, Munianathan, DRORajendran and other officials celebrated Samathuva Pongal withHIV infected persons.

Munianathan said that the event had been organised tocreate awareness among the people against any discriminationof HIV-positive persons in the society.

The Collector also distributed free bus passes to 345 HIVpositive persons to enable free travel in government buses fortheir treatment needs.

He said there were 1,064 HIV-positive persons in thedistrict. He also distributed financial assistance for theeducation needs of the children among the HIV-positive people.