Sankranti 2025 Holidays: 3 Day Festival Rituals - Full Details Here

Pongal also called as Sankranti, the vibrant harvest festival, is just around the corner, and preparations are in full swing. This year, the festival will begin on January 13 and end on January 15. Pongal is a significant festival in South India, dedicated to the Sun God (Lord Surya), and marks the beginning of Uttarayan and the Sun's transition into the Capricorn (Makar) zodiac.

The three-day festival celebrates harvest season and each day has its own set of rituals and traditions. The very first day, Bhogi Pongal is celebrated by lighting bonfires - also known as burning the old to make way for the new. Homes are deep cleaned and decorated with flowers, diyas, lights, and Kolam.

The second day, Surya Pongal, Makar Sankranti, is for Lord Surya. People worship at sunrise, thank the Sun God for his boons, and make Pongal an offering. Mattu Pongal is the third day when cattle are worshipped. They are considered sacred in Indian culture. Cows are decorated with bells, colourful beads, and flower garlands, and special offerings are made to them.

The last day is Kanuma Pongal, which is meant for family members to get together and enjoy the celebrations. They visit their kith and kin, exchange gifts, play traditional games, dance to folk songs, and pay homage to the blessings of nature.

Other traditions associated with Pongal include marking kolams at the entrance to welcome Goddess Lakshmi, discarding all old items from the home, decorating the puja house to welcome divine gods and goddesses, cooking food items in clay pots or stoves for Pongal and manual kothu around the pot.

Pongal is also a time for traditional cuisine, and the festival is incomplete without the preparation of the traditional Pongal dish. The sweet version, Sakkarai Pongal, is made with rice mixed with moong dal and cooked with ghee, cashew nuts, raisins, and jaggery. The spicy version, Ven Pongal, is made with lots of ghee and spices like pepper and cumin.

With Pongal 2025 just around the corner, people are gearing up to celebrate this joyous festival with tradition, joy, and gratitude. It is time to come together with family and friends, to thank the gods for the bounty of nature.

Also read: Sankranti 2025 Holidays Begin Tomorrow, January 11 in Telugu states