Makar Sankranti & Pongal 2027 Abroad: Dates & Timings
Makar Sankranti & Pongal 2027 for the diaspora: the Sun enters Makara at 9:14 PM IST on 14 Jan (15:44 UTC); localized moment table, Pongal dates and NRI celebration guide.
Makar Sankranti & Pongal 2027 for the diaspora: the Sun enters Makara at 9:14 PM IST on 14 Jan (15:44 UTC); localized moment table, Pongal dates and NRI celebration guide.
Quick answer: In 2027 the Sun enters Makara at 9:14 PM IST on Wednesday 14 January (15:44 UTC). India observes Makar Sankranti on Friday 15 January (punya kaal); because the moment is daytime on the 14th in the Americas and Europe, the diaspora there usually marks it on 14 January. Tamil Thai Pongal is 15 January 2027.
Makar Sankranti is one of the rare Hindu festivals tied to the solar calendar — it marks Uttarayana, the Sun’s turn northward, as Surya transits into Capricorn. That is why its date barely moves (mid-January) while lunar festivals drift. The catch for the diaspora: the transit is a single global instant, so it falls on 14 January in the Americas and Europe but 15 January in India and Australia. This guide gives the exact localized moment for every region, the Pongal dates, and how the festival is kept abroad.
Makar Sankranti 2027 — the localized Sankranti moment
All rows are the same astronomical instant (Sun entering Makara, 15:44 UTC on 14 Jan 2027) shown in local time. Approximate — confirm your city’s punya kaal with a local panchang.
| Region / City | Local Sankranti moment | Observed on |
|---|---|---|
| India (IST) | 9:14 PM, Wed 14 Jan | Fri 15 Jan (punya kaal) |
| New York / Toronto (EST) | 10:44 AM, Thu 14 Jan | 14 Jan |
| Chicago / Dallas (CST) | 9:44 AM, Thu 14 Jan | 14 Jan |
| San Francisco / Vancouver (PST) | 7:44 AM, Thu 14 Jan | 14 Jan |
| UK (GMT) | 3:44 PM, Thu 14 Jan | 14–15 Jan |
| Frankfurt / Paris (CET) | 4:44 PM, Thu 14 Jan | 14–15 Jan |
| Dubai / Abu Dhabi (GST) | 7:44 PM, Thu 14 Jan | 14–15 Jan |
| Singapore / KL | 11:44 PM, Thu 14 Jan | 15 Jan |
| Sydney / Melbourne (AEDT) | 2:44 AM, Fri 15 Jan | 15 Jan |
| Auckland (NZDT) | 4:44 AM, Fri 15 Jan | 15 Jan |
Why the date is 14 or 15 January
Because the Makara transition happens at 9:14 PM IST on 14 January, India’s daytime rituals (the punya kaal — for bathing, daana and Surya worship) fall on 15 January. But that same instant is 10:44 AM in New York and 7:44 AM in California on the 14th — broad daylight — so North-American and European families typically celebrate on 14 January. In Australia and New Zealand the moment slips just past midnight into 15 January. There is no contradiction: it is one instant seen on different clocks.
Pongal 2027 — the four days
- Bhogi: Thursday 14 January 2027 — discarding the old, the Bhogi bonfire.
- Thai Pongal: Friday 15 January 2027 — the main day; sakkarai/ven pongal is cooked and allowed to boil over (“Pongalo Pongal!”) facing the rising Sun.
- Mattu Pongal: Saturday 16 January 2027 — honouring cattle.
- Kaanum Pongal: Sunday 17 January 2027 — family outings and community gatherings.
How the diaspora celebrates
- USA & Canada: Tamil and Telugu associations host Pongal/Sankranti melas; families cook pongal facing the morning Sun and prepare til-gud and pinni. Kite-flying happens where January weather allows.
- UK & Europe: community Pongal at temples and Tamil sangams; sesame-jaggery sweets and a Surya thanksgiving despite the cold, short days.
- Gulf (UAE): large South-Indian community Pongal events; the moment falls at a convenient 7:44 PM on 14 Jan.
- Australia & NZ: it is summer there — outdoor Pongal and kite events are common; the moment lands in the small hours of 15 Jan.
Related reading
- How to worship Surya Dev — complete guide
- Top harvest festivals in Hinduism — Lohri, Makar Sankranti & Pongal
- Surya Grahan 12 August 2026 — timings & sutak
- Hindu Festival Calendar 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Makar Sankranti 2027?
The Sun enters Makara (Capricorn) at 9:14 PM IST on Wednesday 14 January 2027 (15:44 UTC). Because that instant is late evening in India, the observance and punya kaal fall on Friday 15 January 2027 in India. In the Americas the moment occurs on the morning of 14 January local time, so many NRIs mark it on the 14th.
Is Makar Sankranti on 14 or 15 January in 2027?
Both are seen, and it depends on your time zone. The Sun’s Makara entry is a single instant (15:44 UTC, 14 Jan). It is daytime on 14 Jan in the Americas and Europe but late night in India, so India observes the 15th while much of the diaspora marks the 14th. Tamil Thai Pongal is on 15 January 2027.
Why is Makar Sankranti a Surya (Sun) festival?
It marks Uttarayana — the Sun’s northward journey — as Surya transits into Makara. It is one of the few Hindu festivals fixed to the solar calendar (hence its near-fixed mid-January date), and the day is dedicated to thanking and worshipping the Sun God.
When is Pongal 2027?
Thai Pongal 2027 is on Friday 15 January, with Bhogi on 14 January, Mattu Pongal on 16 January and Kaanum Pongal on 17 January (the Thai month begins after the Makara transition on the night of 14 January).
How do NRIs celebrate Makar Sankranti and Pongal abroad?
Families cook the first rice of the harvest (sakkarai/ven pongal) facing the rising Sun, prepare til-gud (sesame-jaggery) sweets, fly kites where weather allows, and gather for community melas and temple events — adapted to local winter conditions in the northern hemisphere.
What is the Sankranti moment in US and UK time for 2027?
The Makara transition (15:44 UTC, 14 Jan 2027) is about 10:44 AM EST (New York), 9:44 AM CST (Chicago), 7:44 AM PST (San Francisco) and 3:44 PM GMT (London). See the full table above for your city.
