House Resolution 25
By: Representatives Reeves of the 99th, Hilton of the 48th, Donatucci of the 105th, Barrett of
the 24th, and Cox of the 28th
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing January 14, 2025, as Tamil Thai Pongal Day; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, Tamil Thai Pongal is the most important festival celebrated on January 14,
2025, by millions of Tamil ethnic people in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom,
India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, and many other countries around the world; and
WHEREAS, Tamil is the longest surviving classical language in the world, with a traceable
history exceeding 3,200 years and about 100 million native speakers across the globe; and
WHEREAS, Tamil people refer to Pongal as "Thamizhar Thiruvizha," the festival of Tamils,
and in the Tamil language, the word Pongal means "overflowing," signifying abundance and
prosperity; and
WHEREAS, similar to Thanksgiving Day in the United States, Tamils celebrate Pongal as
a festival of thanksgiving to mother nature, the earth, farm animals, and the Lord Suryan
(Sun) for the resources necessary for a bountiful yield of crops; and
WHEREAS, the peace loving Tamil American Community of Georgia makes many
important contributions to education, healthcare, the economy, and homeland security with
exceptionally educated professionals and successful entrepreneurs in a variety of fields, all
while continuing to observe and celebrate their rich Tamil cultural heritage; and
WHEREAS, Georgia Tamils are committed to sharing their vibrant culture, rich traditions,
and longstanding history with the people of Georgia by celebrating January 14, 2025, as
Tamil Thai Pongal.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body recognize January 14, 2025, as Tamil Thai Pongal Day in the State
of Georgia as well as commend the Georgia Tamil community for their ongoing
contributions to our state.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the
public and the press.