Pongal: The Four Days and How Tamil Families Celebrate
Ask any Tamilian about their favourite festival and there is a good chance the answer will be Pongal. It is the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu, celebrated in mid-January at the start of the Tamil month of Thai. It is a festival of thanks: to the sun, to the land, to the cattle that help on the farm, and to the family and friends who make life sweet.
Pongal is not just one day. It is usually celebrated over four days, and each day has its own mood. Here is a simple guide to all four.
Day 1: Bhogi – out with the old
Pongal begins with Bhogi, on the last day of the month of Margazhi. The idea is simple and very relatable: clear out the old to welcome the new. Families clean their homes from top to bottom, wash and paint where needed, and set aside things they no longer use.
Traditionally, old items were burned in a small bonfire early in the morning. These days many towns and cities ask people not to burn plastic, rubber or tyres because of the smoke, so a lot of families now keep Bhogi as a cleaning-and-giving day instead, donating usable clothes and household items. The spirit stays the same: a fresh start.
Day 2: Thai Pongal – the main day
The second day, Thai Pongal, is the heart of the festival and falls on the first day of Thai. Early in the morning, the front of the house is decorated with a large, colourful kolam drawn with rice flour and colour powders. Sugarcane stalks and fresh turmeric plants appear at the doorway and near the cooking spot.
The star of the day is the pot of Pongal itself. Newly harvested rice is cooked with milk in a pot, often a clay pot tied with a turmeric plant, usually outdoors or in an open courtyard facing the sun. Everyone waits for the moment the milk boils over the rim. When it does, the family shouts together, "Pongalo Pongal!" The overflowing pot is a happy sign of abundance for the year ahead.
Two kinds of Pongal are usually made:
- Sakkarai Pongal – sweet Pongal made with jaggery, ghee, cardamom, cashews and raisins.
- Ven Pongal – the savoury version with moong dal, pepper, cumin, ginger and ghee.
The first serving is offered to the Sun God (Surya) as thanks for a good harvest, and then the whole family sits down to eat. New clothes, visits from neighbours and a lot of sugarcane chewing complete the day.
Day 3: Mattu Pongal – thanking the cattle
For farming families, cows and bulls are part of the household. On Mattu Pongal they get their own celebration. Cattle are bathed, their horns are painted in bright colours, and they are decorated with garlands, bells and beads. Pongal is cooked and offered to them, and they are often taken around the village.
Mattu Pongal is also the time when the traditional bull-taming sport Jallikattu is held in some parts of Tamil Nadu. Villages around Madurai, such as Alanganallur, are especially well known for it. Even in cities where there are no cattle at home, many families mark the day by remembering the farmers whose work puts food on every plate.
Day 4: Kaanum Pongal – a day for visiting
The last day is Kaanum Pongal. The word kaanum comes from "to see", and that is exactly what the day is about: seeing people. Families visit relatives, go on outings and spend time together. In Chennai, beaches and parks fill up with families enjoying a holiday picnic.
In many homes, women and girls also perform a small ritual known as Kanu Pidi, placing coloured rice and other offerings outdoors for birds, and praying for the well-being of their brothers and families. Customs differ from family to family, and that variety is part of the charm.
Little things that make Pongal special
- The kolam: Many homes draw extra-large kolams with a Pongal pot, sugarcane and the sun. Some streets turn into an open-air art gallery.
- Sugarcane: No Pongal feels complete without stalks of sugarcane to chew in the afternoon sun.
- New clothes and greetings: People greet each other with "Iniya Pongal Nalvazhthukkal" and children look forward to new outfits.
- Food sharing: Plates of sweet Pongal travel between neighbours' houses, which is one of the nicest parts of the festival.
- The new Tamil year spirit: Because it marks the start of Thai, many people see it as a good time to begin new plans. There is a popular saying, "Thai pirandhaal vazhi pirakkum", meaning that when Thai is born, a way forward will appear.
Celebrating Pongal when you are away from home
Many Tamilians live far from their hometowns for work or study, and Pongal is the time they miss home the most. If you cannot travel, you can still make a small pot of sakkarai Pongal, draw a simple kolam at your door, and call your family in the morning when they shout "Pongalo Pongal!"
It also helps to talk to people who are celebrating the same way. In the TNChatZone app you can join your district room, like Madurai or Thanjavur, and swap Pongal photos, recipes and memories with people from your own area.
Test your Pongal knowledge
Think you know your festivals? Try our free Tamil Nadu GK quiz – a few questions are about Pongal and Jallikattu. And if you are looking for something light to do between family visits, our free mini games are a nice way to pass the time.
Iniya Pongal Nalvazhthukkal to you and your family!