Celebrate Tamil New Year in style at Brickfields

Those who enjoy food, music and sports should head to the main fountain at Little India, Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow to join a lively and colourful celebration marking the Tamil New Year.

Starting at 3pm, the event will highlight the vibrant Tamil culture with a wide range of traditional south Indian foods, musical performances, and games.

The event is jointly organised by the Malaysia Hindu Dharma Maamandram, Brickfields Rukun Tetangga (RT), and Brickfields Business Community Society.

“There will be food kiosks sponsored by Brickfields temples and non-governmental organisations, and volunteers will offer food samples on platters for people to try,” said Brickfields RT chairman SKK Naidu.

“There will be traditional sweets and snacks like vadai, athiresam, kolukattai, puttu, uluntha kanji, and payasam among other snacks.

“After 6pm, we’ll set up tables and chairs for a lavish banana leaf meal with 16 items, prepared for 1,500 guests,” Naidu added.

The Hindu Youth Organisation will entertain those interested in sports and games with traditional activities such as uri adithal (game where blindfolded participants try to break a pot with a stick), pambaram (spinning tops), and pallanguli (a wooden board game).

“Pambaram originating from Thirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, India, is a game seldom seen today,” said Malaysia Hindudharma Maamandram deputy president Rishikumar Vadivelu.

Music and dance enthusiasts will also enjoy cultural performances including agni (fire) dance, silambam, and vocal renditions.

A group of dancers performing a cultural dance in last year’s Tamil New year event at Brickfields. — Filepic

The event, he said, was aimed at rekindling the younger generation’s interest in south Indian culture and heritage as well as promoting unity and harmony.

Rishikumar added that this was the fifth year the event was being held.

Hoping that it would be an annual affair, he was grateful for Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) support in providing the marquees, stage and lighting.

DBKL, he said, had also agreed to close two lanes along Jalan Tun Sambanthan for the event.