Pongal / Lohri / Makar Sankranti

Pongal is a traditional harvest festival celebrated primarily in Tamil Nadu, India, to honor the Sun God (Surya) and thank nature for a bountiful harvest. It typically falls in mid-January, marking the beginning of the Tamil month Thai. Pongal is not only a harvest festival but also a cultural celebration that emphasizes gratitude, renewal, and togetherness. It resonates with themes of abundance and harmony, making it one of the most cherished festivals in Tamil culture.

Lohri is a vibrant North Indian harvest festival, primarily Punjabi, marking the end of winter and the longer days, with bonfires, traditional songs (like those for Dulla Bhatti), folk dances (Bhangra, Giddha), and festive foods (popcorn, peanuts, sesame, gajak) as offerings to the fire god (Agni) for prosperity, particularly joyous for newlyweds and newborns.

Makar Sankranti is a Hindu harvest festival celebrating the sun’s transition into Capricorn (Makar), marking the northward journey (Uttarayan) and the end of winter, falling around mid January annually as it follows the solar calendar. Celebrated with diverse regional traditions like kite flying, river bathing, special feasts with sesame and jaggery (til-gul), and cattle decoration, it signifies new beginnings, hope, spiritual renewal, and gratitude for the harvest.