Pongal 2027 runs over four days: Bhogi on Thursday 14 January, Thai Pongal on Friday 15 January, Mattu Pongal on Saturday 16 January and Kaanum Pongal on Sunday 17 January 2027. The sun enters Makara (the Sankranti moment) at 9:14 pm on 14 January, so Thai 1 and the Pongal are on the 15th. Thai Pongal is the harvest thanksgiving to Surya; the rice boils over in a new pot at sunrise, and the family shouts "Pongalo Pongal!"
This guide covers what each day needs so you can buy everything in one trip, a week ahead when the Pongal rush starts.
1. The four days
| Day | Date | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Bhogi | Thu 14 Jan 2027 | Old things are cleared and burnt at dawn; the house is cleaned and the kolam drawn for Pongal |
| Thai Pongal | Fri 15 Jan 2027 | Pongal cooked in a new pot facing the rising sun; Surya pooja |
| Mattu Pongal | Sat 16 Jan 2027 | Cattle are bathed, horns painted, garlanded and fed pongal |
| Kaanum Pongal | Sun 17 Jan 2027 | Family outings; the leftover pongal is offered to birds |
2. Bhogi: clearing and preparing
- A Bhogi fire at dawn with old household items; keep it small and safe
- Kolam powder for the big Pongal kolam, with kumkum and turmeric for colour
- New clothes bought and kept ready
- Fresh turmeric plant with leaves, sugarcane and a new clay pot bought at the market
3. Thai Pongal: the pot and the Surya pooja
The pot. A new clay or brass pot is tied at the neck with a fresh turmeric plant and set on a stove in the courtyard or at the entrance, facing east. Milk is boiled first; when it rises and spills, the family calls out and the rice goes in.
Sakkarai pongal needs: raw rice, moong dal, jaggery, ghee, cardamom, cashews, raisins and a pinch of edible camphor. Ven pongal is made alongside with pepper, cumin and ghee.
The Surya pooja, done when the pongal is ready:
- Draw a kolam and place a banana leaf with the pongal, sugarcane, a coconut, bananas and the turmeric plant
- Light the lamp with sesame oil and wicks
- Apply kumkum, turmeric and sandal on the pot and the leaf
- Light incense and sambrani, offer the pongal to Surya and do the camphor aarti
- Share the pongal with neighbours
4. Mattu Pongal: for the cattle
Farmers and families with cows bathe the animals, paint the horns and tie bells and sacred thread with a cow cloth. They are offered pongal, bananas and jaggery, and an aarti is done with turmeric water and kumkum. In many homes a Ganapathi pooja with kolam powder dung balls (pillaiyar) is done on this day.
5. Pongal 2027 items list
| For | Items |
|---|---|
| Kolam | Kolam powder, rice flour, kumkum, turmeric powder |
| The pot | New pot, turmeric plant, sugarcane, sacred thread |
| Pongal | Raw rice, moong dal, jaggery, ghee, cardamom, cashews, raisins, edible camphor |
| Pooja | Lamp oil, wicks, camphor, incense, sambrani, sandal, coconut, bananas, flowers |
| Mattu Pongal | Cow cloth, sacred thread, bells, paint for horns |
6. Pongal checklist
- Kolam powder, rice flour, colours
- New pot, turmeric plant, sugarcane
- Rice, dal, jaggery, ghee, cardamom, cashews, raisins
- Lamp oil, wicks, camphor, incense, sambrani
- Kumkum, turmeric, sandal
- Coconut, bananas, flowers
- Cow cloth, thread and bells for Mattu Pongal
Getting ready for Pongal?
Siva Pooja Store, Big Bazaar Street, Dindigul, stocks the pooja items and the pongal groceries in one place, with fresh turmeric plants in the week before. Order at sivapoojastore.com or WhatsApp 91507 87862. Shops and temples can ask for wholesale rates.
Common questions
When is Pongal in 2027? Thai Pongal is Friday 15 January 2027. Bhogi is the 14th, Mattu Pongal the 16th and Kaanum Pongal the 17th.
Why is Pongal on the 15th when the Sankranti is on the 14th? The Makara Sankranti moment is 9:14 pm on 14 January, after sunset, so Thai 1 and the Pongal are kept the next morning.
Which way should the Pongal pot face? East, towards the rising sun, with the kolam in front.
Can Pongal be cooked indoors? Yes. Many flat-dwellers cook it on the kitchen stove or a balcony and offer it to the sun from a window; the pooja is the same.