Thai Pongal 2027 falls on Friday, 15 January 2027. In the UAE the four-day festival runs from Bhogi on Thursday 14 January to Kaanum Pongal on Sunday 17 January, so Mattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal land on the weekend. The Sun enters Makara at 7:44 PM Dubai time on Thursday 14 January, after sunset, which is why the pongal pot goes on the stove on Friday morning.

Pongal is the Tamil harvest festival of thanks to Surya, the Sun, and the start of the Tamil month of Thai. This guide covers what Tamil families in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ajman need: the 2027 dates, how to cook pongal and draw kolam in an apartment, a simple sakkarai pongal recipe and where the community gathers.

Pongal 2027 dates in the UAE

The Thai Pongal Sankranti moment, when the Sun moves into Makara (Capricorn), is 7:44 PM on Thursday 14 January in Dubai, which is 9:14 PM in India. Because it falls after sunset, the main day is Friday.

There is no fixed muhurat for boiling the pot. Families start soon after sunrise, at 7:06 AM in Dubai, ideally facing east towards the rising Sun. Friday is a working day for many in the UAE, so most households cook early and save the bigger gathering for the weekend. For every other festival date this season, see the Divine Sansar Hindu Calendar.

The four days of Pongal

Day 1 - Bhogi (Thursday 14 January)

Bhogi is dedicated to Indra, giver of rain, and is about letting go. Homes are cleaned top to bottom, old and broken things are set aside, and in Tamil Nadu a small bonfire burns what is no longer needed. In a UAE flat, a deep clean, fresh mango leaves at the door and a lit diya carry the same meaning without the fire.

Day 2 - Thai Pongal (Friday 15 January)

The main day and the first of the Tamil month of Thai. New rice is cooked with milk and jaggery in a pot decorated with a fresh turmeric plant, and the family waits for it to boil over. As the milk spills over the rim, everyone calls out "Pongalo Pongal!" - may it overflow - a wish for a year of plenty. The first portion is offered to Surya with sugarcane, banana and coconut before the family eats.

Day 3 - Mattu Pongal (Saturday 16 January)

Mattu Pongal thanks the cattle that plough the fields and carry the harvest. In villages, cows and bulls are bathed, their horns painted and garlanded, and they are fed pongal. In the UAE, families usually mark the day with a prayer at the home mandir or by feeding animals, and in 2027 it falls on a Saturday.

Day 4 - Kaanum Pongal (Sunday 17 January)

Kaanum means "to see" - this is the day for visiting relatives, elders and friends. Younger family members seek blessings from elders, sisters pray for their brothers' wellbeing, and families head out together. With Kaanum Pongal on a Sunday in 2027, it is an easy day for a family outing.

How to celebrate Pongal at home in the UAE

Most Tamil families in the Emirates cook pongal indoors, and the ritual adapts easily to an apartment kitchen.

1. Clean and decorate the night before. Draw or place a kolam at the entrance and tie mango leaves over the door.
2. Prepare the pot. A brass, bronze or clay pot is traditional. Tie a fresh turmeric plant, or a few pieces of whole turmeric, around its neck and mark it with kumkum.
3. Cook after sunrise, facing east. On a gas hob or induction, bring the milk to a boil in the decorated pot. Let it rise and spill over, and call "Pongalo Pongal!" together.
4. Add the rice and finish the pongal. The sakkarai pongal recipe is below.
5. Offer to Surya. Place the pongal on a banana leaf with sugarcane, bananas, coconut and a lit brass diya, show it to the Sun from a window or balcony, and offer a short prayer of thanks.
6. Share it. Eat together and send a bowl to the neighbours.

Indian supermarkets across Karama, Bur Dubai, Al Nahda, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah usually stock sugarcane, fresh turmeric and banana leaves in the days before Pongal, and they go quickly, so shop by Wednesday. For kumkum, whole turmeric, diyas and kolam boards, order from Divine Sansar by Monday 11 January 2027 to have them before Bhogi, as UAE delivery takes 1-3 days.

Sakkarai pongal recipe (serves 4)

Ingredients: 1 cup raw rice (new rice if you can find it), 1/4 cup moong dal, 1 cup grated jaggery, 3 cups water, 1 cup milk, 4 tablespoons ghee, 10 cashews, 1 tablespoon raisins, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder and a pinch of edible camphor (optional).

1. Dry roast the moong dal in a pan until it smells nutty, about 3 minutes.
2. Wash the rice and dal together. Bring the milk and water to a boil in the decorated pot, let it boil over for the ritual, then add the rice and dal.
3. Cook on low heat, stirring now and then, until soft and mushy, about 25 minutes. Add a little hot water if it gets too thick.
4. Melt the jaggery in 1/4 cup water, strain out any grit, and stir it into the cooked rice. Simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Fry the cashews and raisins in the ghee until golden and pour it all over the pongal. Add the cardamom and camphor, mix and serve warm.

Many families also make ven pongal, the savoury version with pepper, cumin, ginger and curry leaves, to serve alongside.

Kolam for Pongal

A kolam at the threshold is part of every Pongal morning. Traditional designs show a pot boiling over, sugarcane, the rising Sun or a pulli kolam of dots joined into loops, and colour is added on Pongal day itself.

Rice flour on a building corridor or tiled floor is not always practical in UAE buildings. Stencil boards make a neat kolam in minutes and can be lifted and reused: the Lehariya Kolam corner board and Kamal Kolam corner board frame a doorway, and the 10-colour rangoli powder set fills them in. See the full range of rangoli and kolam boards.

Where Tamil families celebrate Pongal in the UAE

Pongal is one of the biggest dates of the year for the Tamil community in the Emirates. Tamil associations and community groups hold Pongal gatherings in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi each January, often on the weekend after the festival, with rows of pongal pots, kolam contests, music and traditional games. Dates are usually announced in early January, so watch the community groups you follow.

For darshan, families visit the Hindu Temple in Jebel Ali, Dubai, and the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi. In 2027 Kaanum Pongal falls on Sunday 17 January, when the cool January weather makes the beaches and parks across the UAE an easy family day out.

Pongal, Makar Sankranti and Lohri

Pongal is the Tamil face of the moment the rest of India marks as Makar Sankranti - the Sun's move into Makara and the start of its northward journey. In 2027 Makar Sankranti is also on Friday 15 January.

Punjabi families light the Lohri bonfire on the eve of Sankranti, Gujarati families fly kites for Uttarayan, and Telugu families keep Bhogi, Sankranti and Kanuma. Many UAE buildings see several harvest festivals in the same week.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Thai Pongal 2027?
Thai Pongal is on Friday, 15 January 2027. Bhogi is on Thursday 14 January, Mattu Pongal on Saturday 16 January and Kaanum Pongal on Sunday 17 January.

What time is the Pongal Sankranti in Dubai?
The Sun enters Makara at 7:44 PM on Thursday 14 January 2027 in Dubai (9:14 PM IST). Because this is after sunset, pongal is cooked on Friday morning, after sunrise at 7:06 AM.

Is Pongal a public holiday in the UAE?
No, Pongal is not an official holiday in the UAE. Many Tamil families cook pongal early on Friday morning and keep Mattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal over the Saturday and Sunday weekend.

Can I cook Pongal on an induction or electric stove?
Yes. What matters is the decorated pot, the boil-over and the offering to the Sun. Most families in UAE apartments cook indoors and show the offering to the Sun from a window or balcony.

What do I need for Pongal at home?
A pot, new rice, moong dal, jaggery, milk, ghee, cashews, raisins, cardamom, a turmeric plant or whole turmeric, sugarcane, bananas, coconut, a banana leaf, kumkum, a diya and a kolam at the door. Divine Sansar delivers kumkum, whole turmeric, diyas and kolam boards across the UAE.

Why do people say "Pongalo Pongal"?
Pongal means "to boil over". Calling "Pongalo Pongal" as the milk spills over the pot is a wish that the year ahead overflows with plenty.

Are Pongal and Makar Sankranti the same?
They mark the same moment, the Sun's entry into Makara, celebrated differently across India. In 2027 both fall on Friday 15 January.

Where can I join a Pongal celebration in Dubai?
Tamil associations and community groups hold Pongal gatherings across Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, usually on the weekend after the festival. Dates are announced in early January.

Divine Sansar is a UAE-based brand offering authentic pooja products, crystals and spiritual items to the Indian community across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ajman, with delivery across the UAE in 1-3 days.