- Month
- January (Tamil month of Thai)
- Duration
- 4 days
- Main day
- Thai Pongal (Makar Sankranti)
- Where
- Across Tamil Nadu
When it happens
The festival runs for four days in mid-January, usually from about 13 to 16 January. The main day coincides with Makar Sankranti, when the sun begins its northward journey, known in Tamil as Uttarayanam. Other states mark the same season with their own festivals and names.
How it is celebrated
Each of the four days has its own purpose.
- Bhogi: houses are cleaned, old things are discarded or burnt, and homes are readied for a fresh start
- Thai Pongal: families cook pongal in new pots outdoors, draw kolams and offer the dish with sugarcane to the Sun God
- Mattu Pongal: cattle are bathed, their horns painted and garlanded, and they are thanked for their work on the farm
- Kaanum Pongal: a day for visiting relatives, outings and shared meals
Food and traditions
Sweet sakkarai pongal and savoury ven pongal are the dishes of the season, along with fresh sugarcane, turmeric plants tied to the pot and banana-leaf meals. Kolams in front of homes grow larger and more colourful on the main day, and the moment the milk boils over is greeted with the cry of 'Pongalo Pongal'.
Where to see it
The festival is best experienced in a village, where the whole community joins in. Around Madurai, Mattu Pongal is the time of jallikattu, the traditional bull-taming sport, and Alanganallur is the best-known venue. In towns such as Thanjavur, Kumbakonam and our own Virudhachalam, streets fill with sugarcane and pot sellers in the days before the festival.
We can plan a Pongal trip that includes a village stay, a home-cooked festival meal and a visit to the jallikattu grounds. Book early, as travel within Tamil Nadu is heavy around these dates.
Where to experience it
Plan it with us
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will build the route, book the car, driver and hotels, and send you a clear quote.
