Overview
- Thai Pongal falls on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, with the Tamil panchangam listing the Sankranti moment at 3:13 PM.
- The festival spans Bhogi, Thai Pongal, Mattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal, each emphasizing renewal, solar reverence, cattle honouring and community visits.
- Families prepare sweet pongal from the new harvest in a clay pot until it boils over as a sign of abundance, then offer it to Surya before sharing.
- Guides highlight kolam designs at doorways, sugarcane near home altars and traditional attire as common customs.
- The observance coincides with other Indian harvest festivals such as Makar Sankranti and Magh Bihu during the rice, sugarcane and turmeric harvest.