Festival 2026 · Sun enters Capricorn (sidereal)
Makar Sankranti & Pongal 2026
Wednesday, 14 January 2026 (passed)
Sun enters the sign: Wed 14 Jan, 3:04 PM IST
Times for Delhi. Other cities can differ, sometimes by a day.
About Makar Sankranti & Pongal
Makar Sankranti marks the Sun's entry into sidereal Capricorn (Makara) and the start of Uttarayana, the Sun's northward journey. It falls on 14 or 15 January and is the one major Hindu festival fixed to the solar, not lunar, calendar. The civil day is taken as the next day when the ingress occurs after sunset.
It is celebrated as Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Magh Bihu in Assam, Lohri (the evening before) in Punjab and with kite-flying (Uttarayan) in Gujarat. Holy dips, til-gud and charity are the common customs.
How it is observed
- Holy dip in a river at sunrise.
- Til-gud, khichdi and sweets.
- Donating food, sesame and clothes.
- Kite flying in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Dates follow the Hindu lunar calendar (tithi) as seen from Delhi and can differ by a day between regions and panchangs. Computed from NASA JPL DE421 Sun and Moon positions. Confirm with your local temple or priest for religious observances.
More festival dates
Frequently asked questions
When is Makar Sankranti & Pongal in 2026?
Makar Sankranti & Pongal 2026 falls on Wednesday, 14 January 2026. The Sun enters the sign at Wed 14 Jan, 3:04 PM IST.
Why does Makar Sankranti sometimes fall on 15 January?
The Sun's entry into Capricorn moves slowly later through the calendar and the festival is observed on the day when the ingress occurs before sunset, so some years it falls on the 15th.
Why does the date of Makar Sankranti & Pongal change every year?
Hindu festivals follow the lunar calendar, so the date moves against the 365-day calendar by about 11 days a year, then jumps back when an extra (Adhika) month is added. This festival follows the Sun, so it stays within a day or two of the same date.
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