Pongal; the annual Tamil festival that celebrates the Sun God, is upon us. The harvest festival of Tamil Nadu, also known as Thai Pongal, is observed at the beginning of the month of Tai in the Tamil solar calendar. It is a four-day-long harvest festival, and Pongal 2020 will begin on January 14 and last until January 17. The four-day celebrations witness - Bhogi Festival, Thai Pongal, Mattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal. Ahead of the main festivity, here we present you Pongal 2020 date, shubh muhurat, history, significance, rituals and celebrations associated with the auspicious festival. From Pal Payasam To Muruku, Calorie Count of the Most Popular Traditional Dishes Served During This Tamil Harvest Festival. 

Pongal celebrations mainly revolve around celebrating the bountiful harvest of the year, worshipping and thanking Lord Surya, and of course bidding farewell to the negativity and baggage from the previous time and have a fresh, positive beginning. Pongal is one of the grandest festivals of the South with fun activities like fairs and parties organised, traditional bonfires on Bodhi and of course a treat of delicious delicacies to feast on through the four days. If you too are intrigued by the vastness and the variety of this festival, here is everything you need to know about Pongal. Latest Pookalam Designs for Pongal 2020: Simple Flower Rangoli Patterns and Kolam Designs to Decorate Your House During the Festive Season. 

When is Pongal 2020?

Pongal is celebrated in January every year. The festival falls at the beginning of the south Indian month of Thai, and it falls around mid-January annually. Pongal 2020 celebrations will begin on January 14, with Bhogi and the grand extravaganza of Thai Pongal will be commemorated on January 15. The next two days are dedicated to different ideologies, like Mattu Pongal (revering and celebrating the cattle used in farming) and Kaanum Pongal on January 17. According to Drik Panchang, the Thai Pongal Sankranti will begin at 02:22 am on January 15, 2020.

Bhogi Pandigai (January 14, 2020)

Surya Pongal/Thai Pongal (January 15, 2020)

Mattu Pongal (January 16, 2020)

Katya Pongal (January 17, 2020)

Pongal Celebrations And Rituals:

Since Pongal is a 4-day long festival, different traditions and rituals are followed on each day. On the first day of Pongal, or Boghi, people often bring out their old clothes, waste products and other useless things that are not in use and put them into an open bonfire. This tradition is said to motivate people towards newer beginnings and also focuses on cutting the clutter in our lives.

The second day of Pongal, called Thai Pongal, is the main day of celebration and is the significant day of worshipping the sun. On this day, a special delicacy of milk and rice, called Pongal, is prepared. This delicacy is often cooked with great precision to ensure that it spills over the pot, thereby standing true to its name, Pongal (meaning boil over). This dish is cooked at the crack of dawn and then offered to the Sun god as prasad.

The third day of Pongal has different celebrations for different people. Some parts of the community wake up before sunrise and offer the stale Pongal to the birds, as a way of warding off all evil. On the other hand, some enjoy watching or participating in the traditional, dangerous and controversial sport of Jallikattu. The main idea behind Mattu Pongal is to celebrate and thank the cows, buffaloes, bullocks and oxen that help farmers in their daily activities.

The last day of Pongal is mainly about enjoying quality time with the family over delicious meals, foot-tapping entertainment and of course some heart-warming conversations! Each of the four days of Pongal has special treats that add flavour to the celebrations. We hope that this Pongal brings in all the prosperity and joy to you and your family.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 11, 2020 04:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).