Pongal is a multi-day Hindu harvest festival of South India,particularly in the Tamil community. It is observed at the start of the month Tai according to Tamil solar calendar and this is typically about January 14. It is dedicated to the Hindu sun god,the Surya, and corresponds to Makar Sankranti, the harvest festival under many regional names celebrated throughout India.

1. Pongal
Pongal is a multi-day Hindu harvest festival of South India,particularly in the Tamil community.
It is observed at the start of the month Tai according to Tamil solar calendar and this is typically
about January 14.
It is dedicated to the Hindu sun god,the Surya, and corresponds to Makar Sankranti, the
harvest festival under many regional names celebrated throughout India.
The three days of the Pongal festival are called Bhogi Pongal, Surya Pongal and Maattu
Pongal. Some Tamils celebrate a fourth day of Pongal as Kaanum Pongal.
Bhogi Pongal
The Pongal festival begins on the day called Bhogi Pongal, and it marks the last day of the
Tamil month Marghazi On this day people discard old belongings and celebrate new
possessions.

2. Surya Pongal
Surya Pongal is the second and main festive day, and is dedicated to the Hindu god Surya.It is
the first day of the Tamil calendar month Tai, and coincides with Makara Sankranthi – a winter
harvest festival celebrated throughout India.
Tamil Hindus decorate their homes with banana and mango leaves and embellish the entrance
space before homes, corridors or doors with decorative floral, festive or geometric patterns
drawn using colored rice flour. These are called kolams.
Mattu Pongal
Mattu refers to "cow, bullock, cattle", and Tamil Hindus regard cattle as sources of wealth for
providing dairy products, fertilizer, transportation and agricultural aid. On Mattu Pongal, cattle
are decorated – sometimes with flower garlands or painted horns, they are offered bananas, a
special meal and worshipped.
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