Mohamad Zahri (centre) cooking ponggal rice.
TO celebrate Ponggal, Indian staff of Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) turned up in colourful garments, bearing claypots and sugar cane.
It was MBPJ’s first Ponggal and celebrants went all out to make the event at Dataran Boulevard, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, a memorable one.
MBPJ nurse Poonkodi Andy, 56, said the event offered a platform for unity among its staff.
“I have been working for MBPJ for 20 years.
“I live at an apartment where many other colleagues live too, and we are like a big family.
“We even have this family-like culture at work.”
She said MBPJ’s Ponggal celebration, held a month after the festival, enabled the city council’s Indian staff to work as a team and that brought all the departments closer.
Speaking on some of her favourite work memories, Poonkodi said: “Some of the children I vaccinated (at MBPJ’s clinic) have grown up and even attended university.
A lively folk dance at MBPJ’s Ponggal celebration.
“There is job satisfaction from working at the city council.”
S. Kasturi, 52, who has served MBPJ for 31 years under its Health Department, said: “I like working in a diverse environment and I am happy the Ponggal celebration was given recognition by MBPJ.
“We previously celebrated Ponggal with our councillors but this time around, we, the staff organised it.”
The event was attended by Petaling Jaya mayor Mohamad Zahri Samingon, who participated in the tradition of cooking sweet rice in a claypot.
“The Ponggal celebration depicts the unity within the community we live in,” he said.
“I hope it will strengthen ties between people of different races.
“It is a celebration of diversity, tolerance and love,” he added.
