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U.S. Ambassador celebrates Pongal in traditional attire
Garcetti celebrated Pongal with the US Consulate General team in Chennai while wearing a veshti.
Eric Garcetti (in Veshti) celebrated Pongal with the local community in Chennai / (X/@USAmbInd)
U.S. ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti celebrated Pongal this year in a traditional way in the south Indian state of Chennai. A harvest festival celebrated by the Tamil community, Pongal traditionally pays tribute to the Sun, mother nature, and various farm animals, as they contribute to the harvest.
Garcetti was dressed in a veshti – a traditional outfit worn by men on Pongal. He participated in several cultural events like making the Pongal – a traditional rice dish that is integral to the celebrations -- and playing a game of tug of war.
“Pongalo, Pongal! What an unforgettable moment it was! I was thrilled to participate in this year’s Pongal festivities with the U.S. Consulate General Chennai team. Happy Pongal from us to you!” Garcetti posted on X, along with a video of the celebrations.
Pongalo, Pongal! What an unforgettable moment it was! I was thrilled to participate in this year’s Pongal festivities with the U.S. Consulate General Chennai team. Happy Pongal from us to you! pic.twitter.com/KZOpGbAWpc
— U.S. Ambassador Eric Garcetti (@USAmbIndia) January 15, 2024
“This harvest season I wish you a lifetime of good health, continued prosperity, and unfiltered joy. A happy Pongal to you and to your family,” he was heard saying in the video.
Ever since, Garcetti was took office as the ambassador to India in March, he has been a part of a number of festival celebrations including Durga Puja and Diwali. The ambassador even danced to ‘Chaiyya Chaiyya’, originally performed by Indian movie superstar Shah Rukh Khan, at the US embassy’s Diwali celebrations in Delhi, in November 2023.
In an ‘Ask Me Anything’ (AMA) session he conducted on Twitter, Garcetti revealed that he “immediately felt at home” within two weeks of arriving in India. “I went back to the U.S. and for a minute I was like what is this strange land. But I love both places….distance may be far on the map, on the globe, but every day that distance between U.S. and India is getting smaller and smaller,” he had said.
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