Pongal is a 4-day harvest festival that is celebrated mostly in the Southern part of the country. The day marks the start of the sun’s six-month northwards journey and its movement towards the zodiac Capricorn (Makar). The days hold great value to the people of Tamil Nadu, who thank the Sun God on this day and appreciate it for providing the energy that helps in growing crops.
Check Pongal 2024 date, history, significance, how to celebrate, traditions, Pongal Dish, Pongal greetings, and places to observe in India.
What is Pongal Festival?
Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated in mid-January or at the start of the Tamil month of Thai. “Pongal” means “to boil” and “overflow” which refers to the traditional dish prepared from rice boiled in milk with jaggery.
When is Pongal 2024?
Pongal festival is a 4-day celebration with all the rituals. Pongal 2024 date is 15th January (Monday) to 18th January (Thursday).
Why do we Celebrate Pongal?
Pongal kolams
Pongal festival is dedicated to the Surya or Sun god and is celebrated to pay gratitude for the year’s harvest. During this time, crops such as rice, sugarcane, and turmeric are harvested, Happy Pongal wishes are exchanged between family and friends, and a big feast is held within every family. People make Pongal kolams with dots to represent the Sun and it is also considered a rangoli for Pongal.
Pongal History and Significance
14-January-2024 | Pongal 2024
The history of Pongal dates back to over 2000 years. It is believed that people in the ancient Chola Empire days also used to celebrate the festival.
Story of Pongal Festival
There are many legends associated with Pongal background. One such legend says that Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhan Mountain on his little finger on the first day of Pongal, Bhogi, to protect people and cattle from the wrath of Lord Indra. Another legend talks about a miracle that Lord Shiva performed, where he made a stone image of an elephant eating a piece of sugarcane.
Pongal Dish and Foods
Pongal dish
Pongal dish is a sweet dish that is offered to the gods as a sign of gratitude. It is also a popular dish that is served to guests and visitors during the Pongal festival.
Pongal Recipe
The Pongal dish recipe is that it is made of rice with boiling milk and jaggery. Traditionally, it is prepared in a clay pot with a slow cooking process on a low flame.
Pongal Celebrations across India
14-January-2024 | Pongal 2024
Pongal is celebrated over a span of four days by Tamilians living in Tamil Nadu and outside. In 2024, the festival starts on January 15th and ends on January 18th.
4-Day Celebrations of Pongal Festival
Pongal is celebrated over a span of four days by Tamilians living in Tamil Nadu and outside.
Day 1 – Bhogi Pongal: The first day of the celebration is known as Bhogi. On this day, people burn their old and unwanted household items and buy new products. People thank Lord Indra (God of Rain) for the abundant harvest and prosperity brought to the land. People exchange Pongal greetings with each other.
Day 2 – Perum Pongal: The second day, called Perum Pongal or Surya Pongal, is the most important day as people worship the Sun God and his companions, Chaya and Samgnya. On this day, women of the families decorate their houses with Pongal Kolams – designs drawn using rice flour and red clay.
Day 3 – Mattu Pongal: The third day is called Mattu Pongal and is celebrated by worshipping cattle as they are believed to give a good harvest. Cows are decorated with bells, multi-coloured beads, turmeric water, stalks of corn, and flower garlands. They are also fed pongal and taken to community centres.
Day 4 – Kaanum Pongal: Kanum Pongal is the fourth and concluding day of the festival and people celebrate it by going for picnics with friends and family, exchanging gifts and indulging in dancing and bull-taming contests. Birds are worshipped through a ritual where they are fed different Pongal dish items served on a turmeric leaf.
Pongal is celebrated as different festivals in different parts of the country. In Punjab, people celebrate Lohri, while in Assam, it is celebrated as Bhogali Bihu.
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Best Places to Observe Pongal 2024
Pongal is one of the majorly celebrated festivals in Tamil Nadu. Here are some of the famous places to observe during Pongal 2024:
1. Madurai
Madurai has many temples, fields, and villages all of which work hard to capture the true essence of Pongal. Despite the crowds, visiting the temples in Madurai during this festival is an unforgettable experience.
2. Thanjavur
Thanjavur is a city filled with ancient temples and mouth-watering food. During Pongal, the entire city becomes vibrant and the houses are decorated with Pongal kolams which are patterns drawn out with rice flour. Cows are also lined up by the owners to be worshipped at the Brihadeeshwara Temple.
3. Pollachi
Pollachi has great access to many stunning locations around the region. People do a spring cleaning, whitewash their homes, decorate their floors with colourful Pongal kolams and shop for new clothes.
4. Salem
Salem has a unique way of celebrating the Pongal festival. For this activity, the male members of the village will search the forests for a fox. They then carry it back to the village for everyone to see and worship before releasing it back into the wild.
5. Coimbatore
Coimbatore is a well-known textile hub in Tamil Nadu. Pongal is celebrated with a fresh coat of paint, kolams, and flowers, the residences all appear new and well-adorned.
Happy Pongal 2024 Wishes/greetings
Here are some famous Pongal wishes:
- May the auspicious festival of Pongal bring you great harvests in the years to come. Happy Pongal 2024.
- Sending you warm greetings on the happy occasion of Pongal. Have lots of fun on Pongal.
- Let the warmth of the auspicious Pongal festival fill your home with joy. Have a wonderful Pongal.
- Wishing that the auspicious festival of Pongal brings you everlasting peace and joy. May you get the gifts of good health and prosperity on this day. Happy Pongal 2024!
- Between beautiful Pongal kolams, Pongal kolangal, and auspicious decoration, let us meet, greet and, of course, eat. Happy Pongal 2024!
- Here comes the vessel, here comes the milk, here comes the first harvest rice. Pongal is ready, let us start the celebrations! Happy Pongal 2024.
Other Festivals in India with Holiday Type
| Festivals in India | Day | Date | Holiday Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Mon | 01-Jan | Restricted Holiday |
| Lohri | Sat | 13-Jan | Restricted Holiday |
| Makar Sankranti | Sun | 14-Jan | Restricted Holiday |
| Pongal | Mon | 15-Jan | Restricted Holiday |
| Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti | Wed | 17-Jan | Restricted Holiday |
| Republic Day | Fri | 26-Jan | Gazetted Holiday |
| Losar | Sat | 10-Feb | Restricted Holiday |
| Basant Panchmi | Wed | 14-Feb | Restricted Holiday |
| Guru Ravidas Jayanti | Sat | 24-Feb | Gazetted Holiday |
| Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti | Wed | 6-Mar | Restricted Holiday |
| Mahashivratri | Fri | 8-Mar | Gazetted Holiday |
| Holi | Mon | 25-March | Gazetted Holiday |
| Good Friday | Fri | 29-Mar | Gazetted Holiday |
| Easter Day | Sun | 31-Mar | Restricted Holiday |
| Gudi Padwa | Tue | 9-Apr | Restricted Holiday |
| Eid-ul-Fitr | Wed | 10-Apr | Gazetted Holiday |
| Vaisakhi (Vishu) | Sat | 13-Apr | Restricted Holiday |
| Rama Navami | Wed | 17-Apr | Gazetted Holiday |
| Mahavir Jayanti | Sun | 21-Apr | Gazetted Holiday |
| Rabindra Jayanti | Wed | 8-May | Restricted Holiday |
| Buddha Purnima (Vesak) | Thu | 23-May | Gazetted Holiday |
| Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) | Mon | 17-Jun | Restricted Holiday |
| Rath Yatra | Sun | 7-Jul | Gazetted Holiday |
| Muharram (Ashura) | Wed | 17-Jul | Gazetted Holiday |
| Independence Day | Thu | 15-Aug | Gazetted Holiday |
| Parsi New Year’s Day (Nauraz) | Thu | 15-Aug | Public Holiday |
| Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) | Mon | 19-Aug | Restricted Holiday |
| Janmashtami | Mon | 26-Aug | Restricted Holiday |
| Ganesh Chaturthi | Sat | 7-Sep | Restricted Holiday |
| Onam | Sun | 15-Sep | Restricted Holiday |
| Milad-un-Nabi or Id-e- Milad | Mon | 16-Sep | Gazetted Holiday |
| Gandhi Jayanti | Wed | 02-Oct | Gazetted Holiday |
| Dussehra | Sat | 12-Oct | Gazetted Holiday |
| Valmiki Jayanti | Thu | 17-Oct | Restricted Holiday |
| Karva Chauth | Sun | 20-Oct | Gazetted Holiday |
| Dhanteras | Tue | 29-Oct | Restricted Holiday |
| Kali Puja | Thu | 31-Oct | Gazetted Holiday |
| Halloween Day | Thu | 31-Oct | No Holiday |
| Diwali | Fri | 1-Nov | Gazetted Holiday |
| Lakshmi Puja | Fri | 1-Nov | Gazetted Holiday |
| Karnataka Rajyotsava | Fri | 1-Nov | Gazetted Holiday |
| Kerala Piravi | Fri | 1-Nov | Gazetted Holiday |
| Govardhan Puja | Sat | 2-Nov | Gazetted Holiday |
| Bhai Dooj | Sun | 3-Nov | Gazetted Holiday |
| Chhath Puja | Thu | 7-Nov | Gazetted Holiday |
| Guru Nanak Jayanti | Fri | 15-Nov | Gazetted Holiday |
| Christmas | Wed | 25-Dec | Public Holiday |
FAQs
Q. What is the difference between Onam and Pongal?
A. Onam is the festival of the Asura king Mahabali’s homecoming and Parashurama’s raising the land of Kerala from the sea, while Pongal is a festival of gratitude to the Sun God and the Earth.
Q. Is Pongal a dish or a festival?
A. Pongal is also a dish that is made at the Pongal festival. The Pongal recipe is made of rice boiled in milk and jaggery.
Q. Pongal is celebrated in which state?
A. Pongal festival is celebrated in the state of Tamil Nadu.