Field Director, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, R. Kiruba Shankar, and the Nilgiris District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru at the Elephant Pongal celebrations at Theppakadu Elephant camp in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve on Friday. | Photo Credit: SATHYAMOORTHY M. Elephant Pongal was celebrated at the Theppakadu Elephant Camp in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve on Friday. Visitors thronged the camp to witness and take part in the celebrations which is organised during Pongal every year. All the elephants at the camp were fed a special diet which included jaggery, sugarcane and fruits. The Pongal holidays had witnessed a huge influx of tourists to the tiger reserve as well as to tourist spots across the district on Thursday and Friday, with large crowds at Doddabetta, Government Botanical Garden and the Rose Garden. Apart from domestic and international tourists, the elephant Pongal celebrations were also attended by Nilgiris District Collector, Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru, Field Director of MTR, R. Kiruba Shankar and the Nilgiris district Superintendent of Police, N.S.Nisha. On Wednesday (January 14), Ms. Tanneeru participated in a ‘Samathuva Pongal’ organised at Thangadu near Udhagamandalam and distributed prizes to the winners of games. In a press release, the Nilgiris district administration said ‘Samathuva pongal’ events were organised in all panchayats across the Nilgiris based on the orders of the Tamil Nadu government. Published – January 16, 2026 07:56 pm IST Share this: Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email More Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon Click to share on Nextdoor (Opens in new window) Nextdoor Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky Like this:Like Loading... Post navigation 10,000 family health cards to be distributed in Hubballi The Hindu Lit for Life 2026 | Here is what the speakers are taking home from Chennai