Makar Sankranti, Pongal and Lohri in the USA

Quick answer: In 2027, Makar Sankranti and Thai Pongal fall on Thursday 14 January across the USA, one day before India. The Sun enters Makara at 10:44 AM Eastern and 7:44 AM Pacific time. Lohri and Bhogi come the day before. Because the day is a working Thursday, most temple and community celebrations are held over the following weekend.

Makar Sankranti 2027 in the USA: key facts

When does the Sun enter Makara in my time zone?

The moment comes from Drik Panchang (15:44 UTC on Thursday 14 January 2027), shown here in US local time.

Drik Panchang publishes Punya Kaal for New York, and we print only that. For other US cities, use a panchang set to your own city. Confirm timings with your local panchang or temple priest.

Why is Sankranti on 14 January in the USA but 15 January in India?

Makar Sankranti is the moment the Sun enters sidereal Makara (Capricorn). Panchangs give the festival to the day on which that moment falls if it comes before local sunset, and to the next day if it comes after sunset.

In 2027 the moment is 9:14 PM in India on Thursday 14 January, after sunset, so India keeps Makar Sankranti and Pongal on Friday 15 January. In the USA the same moment falls on Thursday morning, so the festival is on Thursday 14 January. Your parents in Chennai or Hyderabad will celebrate a day after you; neither date is wrong. Our dates abroad page has the full world table.

Which communities keep the festival in the USA?

Almost every Indian-American community keeps this festival under its own name. The New York State Assembly's Resolution No. 11 of 2025 notes that Tamil Americans have kept their heritage through local sangams since the founding of the New York Tamil Sangam in 1970.

Lohri is a Punjabi festival kept by Hindus and Sikhs alike. Maghi has a special place in Sikh history: the Mela Maghi at Sri Muktsar Sahib commemorates the Forty Liberated Ones (Chali Mukte).

For the regional festivals in depth, see the Pongal guide and our guide to Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

How do families keep Makar Sankranti at home on a working Thursday?

Most families split the festival in two: a short observance on Thursday 14 January itself, and the full meal and gathering at the weekend.

On the day

1. Bathe before work and light a lamp at the home shrine.
2. Draw a small kolam or muggu at the door, or a chalk design on the porch or driveway.
3. Offer water to the Sun when it is up. On the East Coast the moment of Sankranti is mid-morning, so many people offer arghya at lunchtime or as soon as they can step outside. Our Surya arghya guide shows how.
4. In the evening, cook sweet pongal, chakkara pongali or khichdi and offer it before the family eats.
5. Give something: food to a food bank, warm clothing, or a donation in the name of the festival.

Our Makar Sankranti puja at home guide gives a simple order of worship, and Surya puja at home for NRIs covers daily Sun worship abroad.

At the weekend

The weekend of 16 and 17 January 2027, followed by Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday 18 January, gives many families a long weekend for the big meal, Bhogi pallu for the children and visits to the temple.

Where can I join a community celebration?

Temples and community associations across the USA hold Sankranti, Pongal and Lohri programmes, usually on the weekend nearest the festival. Programmes change every year. None of the sites below had published a 2027 Sankranti programme when we checked on 12 November 2026, so check their website for this year's programme.

National associations

• Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA): an umbrella body of Tamil sangams across North America. Its member list is the quickest way to find your local Tamil sangam, which is where most Thai Pongal events are organised.
• Telugu Association of North America (TANA): a national Telugu association with chapters across the country.
• American Telugu Association (ATA): another national Telugu association.

Temples (examples)

• Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam, Flushing, New York, run by the Hindu Temple Society of North America.
• Sri Venkateswara Temple, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
• The Hindu Temple of Atlanta, Riverdale, Georgia.
• Malibu Hindu Temple, near Calabasas, California.

These are a few long-established temples, not a ranking. Your nearest temple, Gujarati samaj, Marathi mandal, Bengali association or gurdwara may hold its own event. Our Hindus in the USA hub lists more temples and community resources.

Have US states recognised Pongal?

Some have, through official texts. In January 2024 the Governor of North Carolina proclaimed "Tamil Language and Culture Month", noting that the Tamil community celebrates Thai Pongal, a four-day harvest festival. In 2025 Resolution No. 11 was introduced in the New York State Assembly, asking the Governor to proclaim January as Tamil Heritage Month in conjunction with Pongal. We have not found a 2027 proclamation; check your state governor's website in January.

Can I cook pongal and light a Bhogi or Lohri fire safely in a US home?

Yes, with care. January is deep winter in most of the country, and most celebrations happen indoors.

Cooking indoors

• Clay pots are not made for glass-ceramic or induction hobs. Use a heavy stainless-steel, brass or bronze pot, or a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, and let the milk rise to the rim in the pot before you turn the heat down.
• Stand by the pan while milk or oil is heating. "Stand by your pan" is the U.S. Fire Administration's first cooking rule: turn the burner off if you leave the kitchen.
• If a pan catches fire, slide a lid or baking sheet over it and turn off the heat. Never pour water on burning oil.
• Smoke alarms: never take the battery out or cover the alarm for a festival. Turn on the range hood and open a window instead.
• Lamps and incense: keep them away from curtains, keep them out of reach of children and pets, and never leave them burning when you go out or to bed.

A Bhogi or Lohri fire outdoors

Rules for open fires differ from city to city and county to county. Many places require a permit, restrict the size and type of fire, or ban fires on poor air-quality days. Apartment leases and homeowner associations often forbid them outright. Before you light anything:

• Call or check the website of your local fire department.
• Use only a legal fire pit or a fire set up by the organisers at a permitted community event.
• Burn only clean, dry firewood. Never burn plastic, tyres, rubber, painted wood or rubbish.
• Never light an open flame on an apartment balcony or deck.
• Keep a hose, extinguisher or bucket of sand within reach, and keep children well back.

Many families mark Bhogi or Lohri with a lamp at the shrine and the traditional foods instead of a fire.

Kites in winter

Kite flying works on clear, windy days in parks or open fields away from roads. Check your park's rules first. Use cotton string, never glass-coated or nylon manja: it injures birds, animals and people. Stay well away from power lines, never try to pull a kite off a wire, and dress children warmly for the wind chill.

Where do I find Pongal and Sankranti ingredients in the USA?

Indian grocery stores carry almost everything: raw rice, moong dal, jaggery, sesame, cardamom, ghee, sugarcane pieces in season, and frozen banana leaves. When something is missing:

Sesame, peanuts, cashews, milk and ghee are common allergens. Label shared plates at school and community potlucks. For recipes, start with sakkarai pongal and our Pongal and Sankranti recipe collection.

How can children take part?

• Draw a kolam or muggu together with rice flour indoors, or with chalk on the driveway.
• Let them stir the pot and call "Pongalo Pongal!" when the milk overflows.
• Hold Bhogi pallu at the weekend for small children in Telugu families.
• Make tilgul or ellu-bella packets to share with friends and neighbours, after checking for allergies.
• Fly a kite with an adult on a weekend afternoon.

Thursday 14 January 2027 is a school day. Many school districts have a process for religious-observance absences; check your district's policy if you plan to keep children home.

Frequently asked questions

When is Makar Sankranti 2027 in the USA?

Makar Sankranti 2027 is on Thursday 14 January in every time zone of the contiguous US. In India it is on Friday 15 January. Confirm timings with your local panchang or temple priest.

Why is it a day earlier in the USA than in India?

The Sun enters Makara at 9:14 PM in India, after sunset, so India keeps the festival the next day. In the USA that moment falls on Thursday morning, so the festival is on Thursday itself.

What time does the Sun enter Makara in the USA?

At 10:44 AM Eastern, 9:44 AM Central, 8:44 AM Mountain (Phoenix) and 7:44 AM Pacific time, all on Thursday 14 January 2027. These are conversions of Drik Panchang's moment of 15:44 UTC.

What is the Punya Kaal in New York?

Drik Panchang gives Punya Kaal in New York from 10:44 AM to 4:52 PM, and Maha Punya Kaal from 10:44 AM to 12:20 PM, on Thursday 14 January 2027. For other cities, use a panchang set to your city.

When is Lohri 2027 in the USA?

Lohri is the bonfire evening before Makar Sankranti. Community Lohri events in the USA are usually held at the weekend, so check your local gurdwara, Punjabi association or temple.

When is Thai Pongal 2027 in the USA?

Thai Pongal is on Thursday 14 January 2027 in the USA, the same day as Makar Sankranti. Bhogi is the day before, Mattu Pongal the day after and Kaanum Pongal two days after.

Can I light a Bhogi or Lohri bonfire in my backyard?

Only if your city or county allows it. Rules vary widely, many places require permits or ban open burning on poor air-quality days, and most apartments and many homeowner associations forbid fires. Check with your local fire department first.

Can I make pongal in a clay pot on an electric stove?

It is not recommended on glass-ceramic or induction hobs. Use a heavy metal pot or a pressure cooker, and let the milk rise and overflow gently in the pot as the symbolic moment.

Is Pongal a holiday in the USA?

No. Thursday 14 January 2027 is an ordinary working day. Families usually celebrate on the weekend of 16 and 17 January, before Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday 18 January.

Is Pongal the Tamil New Year?

No. The Tamil New Year, Puthandu, falls in Chithirai in April. Some hold that the Tamil year begins on Thai 1, the day of Thai Pongal, but that view is debated.

Sources

• Drik Panchang, Makar Sankranti moment and New York Punya Kaal, via the HinduTone date data in Makar Sankranti 2027
• U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Federal holidays 2027: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/ (accessed 12 November 2026)
• U.S. Fire Administration (FEMA), Cooking fire safety: https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/home-fires/prevent-fires/cooking/ (accessed 12 November 2026)
• New York State Assembly, Assembly Resolution No. 11 (2025), memorializing the Governor to proclaim January as Tamil Heritage Month in conjunction with Pongal: https://legislation.nysenate.gov/pdf/bills/2025/K11 (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Office of the Governor of North Carolina, "Governor Proclaims Tamil Language and Culture Month 2024": https://governor.nc.gov/governor-proclaims-tamil-language-and-culture-month-2024 (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America: https://fetna.org/ (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Telugu Association of North America: https://www.tana.org/ (accessed 12 November 2026)
• American Telugu Association: https://americanteluguassociation.org/ (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Hindu Temple Society of North America, Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam: https://nyganeshtemple.org/ (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Sri Venkateswara Temple, Pittsburgh: https://svtemple.org/ (accessed 12 November 2026)
• The Hindu Temple of Atlanta: https://www.hindutempleofatlanta.org/ (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Malibu Hindu Temple: https://www.malibuhindutemple.org/ (accessed 12 November 2026)

Last reviewed: 12 November 2026.

Related guides

• Makar Sankranti 2027: date and Punya Kaal timings
• Pongal: the four-day Tamil harvest festival
• Makar Sankranti and Pongal dates abroad
• Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
• Thai Pongal
• Hindus in the USA