Pongal, a four-day harvest festival dedicated to the Sun God is held in the mid of January. This year, it will be celebrated on January 14. According to tradition, the festival marks the end of the winter solstice and the start of the sun's six-month-long journey. It coincides with Makar Sankranti. The festival is celebrated according to the Tamil calendar month of Thai and will begin on Jan 14 this year and will end on January 17.
Pongal 2022- Dates
- Bhogi Pongal - January 13, Thursday
- Thai Pongal - January 14, Friday
- Mattu Pongal - January 15, Saturday
- Kaanum Pongal - January 16, Sunday
Day 1: Bhogi Pongal
Bhogi marks the beginning of the four-day Pongal festival. It is a festival of change. Useless household articles and negative ideas are discarded on this day by putting in a bonfire. This day is to welcome the new energy into people's homes.
Day 2: Thai Pongal
This is the main day of the four days of the Pongal celebration. Pongal means 'to boil'. On this day rice is boiled along with milk in a pottery pot tied with a turmeric plant on clay stoves. It is then offered to the Sun God in the morning along with sugarcane, coconuts and bananas.
Day 3: Mattu Pongal
This is a special day to worship cows. The farmers decorate their cattle with colourful clothes, garlands and beads and take them to a commonplace. Then the cows are worshipped with an aarti. The cows and bulls are revered on this day.
Day 4: Kaanum Pongal
The last day of Pongal, known as Kaanum or Knau Pongal, is celebrated by worshipping the Sun god for the long life and prosperity of the family. Females of the house sprinkle holy turmeric water everywhere and offer coloured rice, betel leaves, plantains, betel nuts, two pieces of sugarcane, and other dishes by putting them on the turmeric leaves.
