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Pongal 2026: Date, Rituals, Origin, Significance and How the Harvest Festival Is Celebrated in Tamil Nadu

Pongal 2026 Date, Rituals, Origin, Significance: This year, Thai Pongal and Makar Sankranti both fall on Wednesday, January 14, 2026.

3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jan 14, 2026 12:05 PM IST

Pongal 2026 Date

Pongal 2026 Date And Time Calendar: Pongal is one of India’s most widely recognised Hindu harvest festivals, marked by Tamilians both in India and around the world. It is celebrated alongside Makar Sankranti, which is observed in the northwest states of India. This four-day celebration, dedicated to the Sun God, marks the beginning of Uttarayan, the sun’s journey northward.

Pongal 2026: Date and Time

Pongal is celebrated in the Tai month of the Tamil solar calendar. This year, Thai Pongal and Makar Sankranti both fall on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, with the Thai Pongal Sankranti Moment, which will occur precisely at 03:13 PM, according to Drik Panchang.

Festival Day	Date	Significance
Bhogi Pandigai	Tuesday, Jan 13, 2026	Cleansing and burning the old to welcome the new.
Thai Pongal / Makar Sankranti	Wednesday, Jan 14, 2026	Worship of the Sun God and cooking of the new rice.
Mattu Pongal	Thursday, Jan 15, 2026	Celebrating and decorating cattle for their hard work.
Kaanum Pongal	Friday, Jan 16, 2026	Family reunions, outings, and visiting relatives.

Pongal 2026: History, Significance, and Celebrations

The festival is named after the traditional sweet dish Pongal (“boiling over”), which is prepared by cooking rice in milk and jaggery, and served first to the gods and goddesses before being enjoyed by the family.

The Pongal dish dates back to the Chola dynasty, and it occurs in numerous manuscripts and inscriptions.

Some Hindu temple inscriptions from the Chola and Vijayanagara Empire periods also contain precise recipes.

READ: Pongal special trains 2026: Full list, route, time table, stoppages

It is said that Lord Shiva once dispatched his bull, Basava, around the world to remind people to eat once a month, get an oil massage, and bathe every day.

Basava made the error of advising that everyone take an oil bath and eat every day.

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Lord Shiva was so furious that he banished Basava to Earth for all eternity to help the Earth’s population produce more food. This is supposed to be the reason why cattle exist on Earth.

Pongal is all about expressing gratitude to the natural elements that allow us to exist; so, farmers honour the rain, sun, and animals that are all required for farming.

On this day, people perform pujas and pay visits to family and friends, with the festival marked for four days beginning with Bhogi Pongal, followed by Surya Pongal, Maattu Pongal, and Kanum Pongal.

Celebrations also include cow decorating, ritual washing, creating rice powder-based kolam artworks, praying, and gathering with friends and family.

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