Today is Pongal. I miss our pongal celebrations in Sooramangalam, my picture postcard village. Pongal in the cities does not have any charm. Back in sooramangalam, we would get up at 2:30 a.m ( early early early morning ), shower up, put on our brand new clothes and the entire family waits at the verandah for the pot to boil. The chorus “pongalo pongal” is music to ears . Sigh ! I miss sooramangalam.