Indian Farmers Honor Dam Engineer on His Birthday

Farmers in Tamil Nadu gathered with their families last Thursday to celebrate an unusual holiday: the birthday of a British engineer who changed their lives forever.

Colonel John Pennycuick designed the Mullaperiyar dam in the late 1800s, and generations later, farmers still honor his memory with an annual festival called "Pennycuick Pongal." At his memorial in Theni district, local officials and community members garlanded his statue and paid tribute to his engineering vision.

The celebration was more than ceremonial gratitude. Families prepared traditional pongal rice dishes and shared them with visitors, transforming the memorial into a joyful gathering that blended thanksgiving with cultural pride.

The dam Pennycuick built continues to deliver water across five southern districts: Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Ramanathapuram, and Sivaganga. Farmers depend on it for irrigation, while millions of people rely on it for drinking water in their daily lives.

Traditional performances brought the celebration to life. Dancers performed Mayilattam, a folk dance imitating peacock movements, while martial artists demonstrated Silambam stick fighting. Decorated bulls, horses, and rams paraded through the streets in a colorful procession.

Meanwhile, in the nearby Sirumalai hills, farmers celebrated Mattu Pongal by honoring a different kind of hero: their horses. Without proper roads through the forest terrain, these working animals carry fruits and vegetables down the mountainside on their backs.

Every household in the area owns at least two horses. On this special day, farmers decorated their animals, fed them favorite treats, and offered prayers for their health and wellbeing. The celebration recognized these companions as essential partners in their livelihood.

The Ripple Effect

What started as one engineer's vision in colonial India now sustains entire communities across thousands of square miles. The gratitude these farmers express isn't just about water. It represents recognition that good infrastructure, built with care, can improve lives for generations.

The celebrations also show how communities remember those who serve them well, regardless of where they came from. Pennycuick's legacy lives on not just in concrete and water flow, but in the annual gathering of families who still benefit from his work more than a century later.

These festivals remind us that solving real problems creates lasting impact that communities will celebrate for generations.