Sun enters Capricorn (Tamil Thai month)
Thai Pongal
Also known as Pongal
Pongal is the Tamil harvest festival, a four-day celebration that opens with Thai Pongal on the day the Sun enters Capricorn. Its name comes from the ceremonial dish of newly harvested rice boiled with milk until it overflows: an omen of abundance.
2026
Wednesday, 14 January 2026
2027
Friday, 15 January 2027
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Significance
It is a thanksgiving to the Sun god Surya for the harvest, and to the cattle and the land that made it possible. The overflowing pot (“pongalo pongal”) is the festival’s joyful emblem of plenty.
How Thai Pongal is observed
Homes are cleaned and decorated with kolam; the sweet pongal is cooked outdoors in a new pot as the Sun rises. The four days honour, in turn, Indra, Surya, cattle (Mattu Pongal) and kin (Kaanum Pongal).
FAQ
What does “Pongal” mean?
It names both the festival and the dish: rice boiled with milk and jaggery until it boils over, a sign of prosperity.
How long is Pongal?
Four days: Bhogi, Thai Pongal (the main day), Mattu Pongal (cattle) and Kaanum Pongal (family).
Is Pongal the same as Makar Sankranti?
They fall on the same solar day and share the harvest spirit, but Pongal is the distinct Tamil four-day celebration.
Around the same season
Plan around Thai Pongal
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