Pongal is a four-day-long harvest festival celebrated mostly in the states of South India, especially in Tamil Nadu. It is celebrated in the winters when the sun reaches the extremes of the southern hemisphere and starts returning to the northern hemisphere, as per the Hindu calendar.  Pongal will begin on the 14th of January and will continue till the 18th of January.

The biggest festival in Tamil Nadu, Pongal corresponds with the Makar Sankranti and Uttarayana, when the Sun migrates from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere.

Pongal is traditionally celebrated with much fervor for four days in the state. This year Pongal is from January 13 to 16 but the main day is on January 14. Pongal is uniquely a harvest festival to express gratitude to the Sun god and Lord Indra for blessing farmers with a bumper crop.

There are so many aspects to Pongal - decorations, rituals and customs and of course the special food. Pongal translates to "spilling over" and the festival derives its name from the tradition of boiling rice, milk and jaggery in a pot till it starts overflowing.

Know the significances of the days: The first day is called Bhogi Pandigai: Wednesday, January 13 **  The main day is called Thai Pongal or Surya Pongal: Thursday, January 14 ** Thai Pongal Sankranti moment is 8:29 AM ** The third day is called Mattu Pongal: Friday, January 15 ** The last day is called Kaanum Pongal: Saturday, January 16.

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AIADMK people celebrates Pongal gift distribution

Bull trainers gets ready for Jallikattu, TN Pongal 2021