Pongal is a vibrant four-day Tamil harvest festival, one of the most important celebrations for Tamil people in India, Sri Lanka, and around the world. It gives thanks for the harvest and the sun. It begins around 14 January (a Wednesday in 2026) — see the Pongal holiday page for exact dates. Here's the history.
See also India's holiday calendar and the Tamil calendar.
What is Pongal?
Pongal is a harvest thanksgiving festival celebrated mainly in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The word pongal means "to boil over" — and refers to the festival's signature dish: freshly harvested rice boiled with milk and jaggery in a pot until it overflows, a symbol of abundance and prosperity.
Unlike many Hindu festivals tied to the lunar calendar, Pongal is a solar festival, marking the sun's movement and the month of Thai in the Tamil calendar — so it falls around the same mid-January dates each year.
The four days of Pongal
- Bhogi — discarding old belongings and lighting bonfires for a fresh start.
- Thai Pongal — the main day: boiling the Pongal dish and offering thanks to Surya, the sun god.
- Mattu Pongal — honouring cattle, decorated and thanked for their role in farming.
- Kaanum Pongal — a day for family outings and visiting relatives.
Why it falls in mid-January
Because Pongal is a solar festival (marking the sun entering Capricorn / the Tamil month of Thai), it consistently falls around 14–15 January, close to other harvest festivals like Makar Sankranti.
Quick answers
What is Pongal? A four-day Tamil harvest festival giving thanks for the harvest and to the sun god, Surya.
What does "Pongal" mean? "To boil over" — referring to the festival's dish of rice boiled with milk and jaggery until it overflows, symbolising abundance.
Why is Pongal in January? It's a solar festival marking the sun's movement into the Tamil month of Thai, around 14–15 January.
When is Pongal 2026? It begins around Wednesday, 14 January 2026 — see the holiday page for the four days.