Pongal 2027
Rice boils over in a clay pot, and the harvest begins.
Countdown to Pongal 2027
Dates
When is Pongal?
Pongal 2027 falls from Thursday, 14 January 2027 to Sunday, 17 January 2027 (expected; it can move by a day).
Thai Pongal falls on 15 Jan on the central government list, with Bhogi the day before and Mattu and Kaanum Pongal on the two days after.
Date checked against staffnews.in
| Year | Dates | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 14 – 17 January 2026Wed – Sat | 4 days | Past |
| 2027 | 14 – 17 January 2027Thu – Sun | 4 days | Expected |
See every festival by date in the 2026 festival calendar and 2027 festival calendar.
The story
What it is, and why it matters
- Type
- Food & Harvest
- Tradition
- Hindu
- Where
- Madurai, Tamil Nadu
- Crowd
- Celebrated across Tamil Nadu and by Tamil communities worldwide
- UNESCO
- Not inscribed
At sunrise on the first day of the Tamil month of Thai, families set a new clay pot of milk and rice over a fire in the courtyard and wait. When it boils over, everyone shouts 'Pongalo Pongal'.
Pongal is Tamil Nadu's four-day harvest festival, held as the sun enters Capricorn in mid-January. The name means 'boiling over', and the overflowing pot is a sign of abundance for the year ahead. Houses are cleaned, front steps are decorated with kolam patterns in rice flour, and sugarcane stalks lean against every doorway.
The third day, Mattu Pongal, honours cattle: cows and bulls are bathed, their horns painted and garlanded. Around Madurai, villages such as Alanganallur, Palamedu and Avaniyapuram hold jallikattu, the bull-taming sport, on and around these days. The last day, Kaanum Pongal, is for visiting relatives and outings.
Culture
Traditions, food and music of Pongal
Traditions
What actually happens
- Bhogi — old belongings are discarded or burned on the first day to make way for the new.
- Thai Pongal — the new rice is cooked in a clay pot outdoors and offered to the sun.
- Mattu Pongal — cattle are bathed, decorated and fed in thanks for their work.
- Kolam — elaborate patterns drawn in rice flour at the threshold each morning.
Food
The table, widened
- Sakkarai pongal — rice and lentils cooked with jaggery, ghee, cashews and cardamom.
- Ven pongal — the savoury version with black pepper, cumin and ginger, eaten with sambar and chutney.
Music
Sound of the crowd
Nadaswaram and thavil, the double-reed horn and drum of Tamil temple music, accompany village celebrations. Folk songs praise the harvest and the cattle, and jallikattu arenas have their own drummers and commentators.
Religion
Why this date
The festival thanks Surya, the sun, for the harvest, and the first rice cooked is offered to him before anyone eats. Cattle, the land and the rains are all honoured along the way, which gives Pongal a strong sense of gratitude to nature.
History
How it survived
Harvest celebrations in the month of Thai are mentioned in classical Tamil literature. Jallikattu has a long history in the region; after a Supreme Court ban in 2014, large protests in 2017 led Tamil Nadu to pass a law permitting it, which the Supreme Court upheld in 2023.
History
How it got here
Harvest celebrations in the month of Thai are mentioned in classical Tamil literature. Jallikattu has a long history in the region; after a Supreme Court ban in 2014, large protests in 2017 led Tamil Nadu to pass a law permitting it, which the Supreme Court upheld in 2023.
Sangam era
Thai harvest
Classical Tamil poems refer to festivities in the month of Thai.
2014
Jallikattu ban
The Supreme Court bans the bull-taming sport on animal welfare grounds.
2017
Marina protests
Mass protests in Chennai lead to a state law allowing jallikattu to resume.
2023
Law upheld
The Supreme Court upholds Tamil Nadu's jallikattu law.
Travel & practical
Visiting Madurai for Pongal
Getting there
Madurai Airport (IXM) has domestic flights; Madurai Junction is well connected by rail to Chennai and Bengaluru.
Jallikattu
Events at Alanganallur and Avaniyapuram draw very large crowds. Watch only from the official galleries.
Practical notes
Mid-January is pleasant in Tamil Nadu. Buses and trains are heavily booked as people return to their home villages.
Plan the trip with free AltFTool tools
FAQ
Pongal: common questions
Straight answers to what people ask most about Pongal.
When is Pongal in 2026 and 2027?
Pongal 2026 runs from Bhogi on 14 January to Kaanum Pongal on 17 January, with Thai Pongal on Thursday 15 January. In 2027 Thai Pongal falls on Friday 15 January, again within a four-day festival from 14 to 17 January.
What does Pongal mean?
It means 'boiling over' in Tamil, after the pot of milk and rice that is allowed to spill over as a sign of plenty.
Is Pongal the same as Makar Sankranti?
They fall at the same time and both mark the sun's move into Capricorn, but Pongal is the Tamil harvest festival with its own four-day customs.
Can visitors watch jallikattu?
Yes, from designated spectator areas. It is regulated, and participation is limited to registered tamers.
Also in January 2027
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