Tamil communities worldwide mainly celebrate Pongal, a popular four-day harvest festival. They celebrate it in mid-January to welcome the end of winter and the beginning of spring. It signifies the sun’s journey for six months towards the north, known as Uttarayan. During the Pongal holidays, the community comes to thank the Sun God, Surya, Mother Nature, and their cattle for yielding a rich harvest. Pongal is a symbol of joy, prosperity, and unity.
Pongal Holidays 2025
This table shows the Pongal holidays celebrated on four distinct days of the month in 2025:
| Festival Name | Date | Day |
| Bhogi Pongal | 14/01/2025 | Monday |
| Surya Pongal | 15/01/2025 | Tuesday |
| Mattu Pongal | 16/01/2025 | Wednesday |
| Kaanum Pongal | 17/01/2025 | Thursday |
Pongal Celebrations in Detail
Let’s understand the four days of Pongal holidays in detail;
Bhogi Pongal: Bhogi Pongal is the first day of the Pongal festival. On this day, people clean their houses and discard their old possessions. It is a norm for families to gather around a bonfire and burn those old valuables, representing the discarding of the past and embracing the new positivity into their lives.
Surya Pongal: As the name suggests, Surya Pongal is dedicated to the Sun God, Surya. This second day is the most significant of the four days of the festival. On this day, people prepare the special Pongal dish in a clay pot using newly harvested rice, milk, and jaggery. There are two variations of this dish: sweet and savoury. The ritual involves letting the rice boil over, which signifies abundance.
Mattu Pongal: Mattu Pongal is a day dedicated to honouring farm animals, particularly cows and bulls. People bathe and decorate their cattle with colourful garlands, painted horns, and bells. We also give them special jaggery and rice treats as a gesture of gratitude for their hard work throughout the year. In the past, there used to be competitions and traditional games like jallikattu, a local sport. Authorities banned it in recent years for animal welfare reasons. Overall, this day signifies the bond between farmers and their animals.
Kaanum Pongal: Kaanum Pongal is the final day of the Pongal Holidays. This day is all about socialising and spending time with family and friends. People visit their friends and families to share and enjoy the Pongal they made and other festive foods. This day is also spiritually important because, on this day families prepare special meals to honor their ancestors.
Traditional Pongal Delicacies
Food plays a significant role in every festival. It brings people together and makes the celebration more joyful. People enjoy some traditional dishes during the Pongal holidays:
Sweet Pongal (Chakkara Pongal): This dish is made with rice, split yellow moong dal, jaggery, and milk. The dish flavors with cardamom and garnishes with cashews and raisins.
Savoury Pongal (Khara Pongal): It is a mixture of rice and moong dal cooked with black pepper, cumin seeds, green chillies, and curry leaves, often served with coconut chutney.
Sakkarai Pongal: Sakkarai Pongal is the sweeter version of the traditional Pongal with more jaggery and grated coconut.
Ven Pongal: A spicy dish made from rice and dal. People often serve it as a breakfast option during the festival.
Coconut Rice: They cook rice, mix it with grated coconut and spices, and often serve it as a side.
Harvest Festivals Across India
Here is the list of several harvest festivals that are celebrated in January 2025 across India:
| Festival | Date | State |
| Makar Sankranti | January 14 | Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Karnataka |
| Lohri | January 13 | Punjab, Haryana |
| Pongal | January 14-17 | Tamil Nadu |
| Uttarayan | January 14 | Gujarat |
| Bohali Bihu | January 14-15 | Assam |
| Kite Festival | January 14 | Gujarat |
| Sankranti | January 14 | Andhra Pradesh |
| Makara Vilaku | January 14 | Kerala |
| Poush Mela | January 14-15 | West Bengal |
| Khichdi Mela | January 14 | Uttar Pradesh |
Destinations to Travel During Pongal Holidays
The Tamil communities celebrate the Pongal holidays in a grandeur way. If you’re someone who likes to completely immerse yourself in cultures and traditions, here are some destinations to travel to during the holidays:
1. Madurai, Tamil Nadu: Madurai is known for its historic Meenakshi Temple and its vibrant Pongal Celebrations. The temple hosts rituals and prayers where devotees offer Pongal rice as a symbol of gratitude. The streets of Madurai will also become lively with cultural performances, and colourful decorations during Pongal holidays.
2. Thanjavur: Thanjavur is the home to the famous Brihadeeswar Temple. During the festival, people hold special prayers and perform rituals there. Locals prepare traditional Pongal dishes and take part in cultural activities too.
3. Chennai: Temples in Chennai host special prayers and events during the Pongal holidays. Homes are decorated with colorful kolams, and families prepare their traditional Pongal dishes. Marina Beach hosts community celebrations with picnics and cultural performances, making it a great place to visit during the Pongal holidays.
Conclusion
Pongal is a celebration of abundance and gratitude. It’s a time for families to gather and honor nature and the sun. This festival celebrates the community’s rich tradition and culture and is a celebration of togetherness, and gratitude. Pongal is a holiday that reminds us to cherish the connections we share and the blessings of nature that sustain us.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is Pongal and Why is it Celebrated?
A. People in Tamil Nadu celebrate Pongal as a harvest festival, marking the end of the winter solstice and the beginning of the sun’s northward journey, symbolizing prosperity, new beginnings, and thankfulness.
Q. When is Pongal Celebrated Each Year?
A. People celebrate Pongal annually from January 14 to January 17.
Q. How Many Days Is the Pongal Festival Celebrated?
A. Tamil communities in South India primarily celebrate Pongal, a four-day Hindu harvest festival.
Q. What are the Different Days of Pongal and Their Significance?
A. Pongal festival: Bhogi – new beginnings, Thai – sun god, Mattu – cattle, Kaanum – family and friends.
Q. Is Pongal a Public Holiday in India?
A. Several states in India recognize Pongal as a public holiday.
Q. Which States in India Observe Pongal as a Holiday?
A. People primarily observe Pongal as a holiday in Tamil Nadu, and also in parts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Q. What Traditional Activities Are Done During Pongal?
A. Traditional activities include cooking Pongal, decorating homes with kolams (rice flour patterns), and conducting rituals for cattle.
Q. How Do People Prepare for Pongal?
A. The preparations for Pongal involve cleaning homes, purchasing new clothes, and gathering ingredients for the Pongal dish, along with setting up traditional decorations.
