It is dedicated to the solar deity Surya and corresponds to Makar Sankranti, the Hindu observance celebrated under various regional names across the Indian subcontinent.

The festival is traditionally an occasion for decorating with rice-powder based kolam artworks, offering prayers at home, visiting temples, getting together with family and friends, and exchanging gifts to renew social bonds of solidarity.

Pongal also refers to a sweet dish of rice boiled with milk and jaggery that is ritually prepared and consumed on the day.

[6] The principal theme of Pongal is thanking the Sun god Surya, the forces of nature, and the farm animals and people who support agriculture.

Attributed to the Chola king Kulottunga I (1070–1122 CE), the inscription describes a grant of land to the temple for celebrating the annual Pongal festivities.

[10] Prayers are offered to Indra, the king of Gods with thanks and hopes for plentiful rains in the year ahead.

[10] Kaappu kattu is a tradition of tying leaves of Azadirachta indica, Senna auriculata and Aerva lanata in the roofs of houses and residential areas that is widely practiced in the Kongu Nadu region.

[12][13] Bhogi is observed on the same day in the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

[3] It is dedicated to the Sun deity Surya and corresponds to Makar Sankranti, the harvest festival under various regional names celebrated throughout India.

[1] Dedicated to Surya, it is celebrated with family and friends with new clothes worn and the preparation of the traditional pongal dish in an earthen pot.

[9] The pot is typically decorated by tying a turmeric plant or flower garland and placed in the sun along with sugarcane stalks.

[22][23] Mattu Pongal ("Madu" meaning cow in Tamil) is the third day of the festival meant for the celebration of cattle.

[9][21] The cattle are bathed, their horns are polished and painted in bright colors with garlands of flowers placed around their necks and taken for processions.

[10][27] Pongal is traditionally an occasion for decorating, offering prayers in the home, temples, getting together with family and friends, and exchanging gifts to renew social bonds of solidarity.

These sites hold traditional community sports such as Uri Adithal ("breaking a hanging mud pot while blindfolded"), Pallanguzhi and Kabbadi, as well as group dance and music performances in major cities and towns.

Kolam is a form of traditional decorative art that is drawn by using rice flour often along with natural or synthetic color powders.

[10] Pongala is celebrated in Kerala, a state that shares historic cultural overlap with Tamils through Chera dynasty according to Sangam literature.

[37] The celebrations include dance (Kathakali) and musical performances by boys and girls, as well as major processions featuring the temple goddess.