Puducherry Schools To Remain Closed For Four Days Ahead Of Pongal

Schools in Puducherry will remain closed for 4 days ahead of the Pongal festival, according to official notification on Monday. The notification stated, "Directorate of School Education orders closure of all government and private schools for 4 days from January 13 in view of Pongal festival."

On January 4, students of a school in Puducherry were greeted with balloons and sweets as they returned to classrooms after over nine months of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

All schools in the Union Territory have been reopened while adhering to the government''s announcement that classes will only be open from 10 am to 1 pm.

Pongal, a four-day harvest festival dedicated to the Sun God is held in the mid of January. This year, it will be celebrated on January 14.

According to tradition, the festival marks the end of the winter solstice and the start of the sun''s six-month-long journey.