# Indian Harvest Festivals: Pongal, Lohri, Bihu

> The harvest festivals of India: Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Lohri, Bihu, Vaisakhi, Onam, Nuakhai and others, and how each is celebrated.

Source: https://www.hinducalendar.today/seasons/info/indian-harvest-festivals

| Winter harvest | Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Lohri, Magh Bihu (January) |
| --- | --- |
| Spring harvest | Vaisakhi, Rongali Bihu, Vishu (April) |
| Autumn harvest | Onam, Nuakhai, Navanna (August to November) |

## January

Makar Sankranti, when the Sun enters Capricorn, is celebrated across India with sesame and jaggery, kites and holy baths. In Tamil Nadu it is Pongal, four days in which new rice is boiled in milk until it overflows, and cattle are honoured on Mattu Pongal. Punjab lights the Lohri bonfire on the night before, offering it sesame, popcorn and jaggery. Assam celebrates Magh Bihu with community feasts and bonfires (meji).

## April

Mesha Sankranti brings the solar new year and the rabi harvest: Vaisakhi in Punjab, with Bhangra and the founding day of the Khalsa; Rongali Bihu in Assam, with dance and song; Vishu in Kerala, with the Vishukkani, an auspicious arrangement of the harvest seen first thing in the morning; and Puthandu in Tamil Nadu.

## Autumn

Onam in Kerala, in August or September, welcomes King Mahabali back for ten days with flower carpets (pookalam), boat races and the great feast (sadya). Nuakhai in western Odisha offers the first new rice to the goddess Samaleswari. Navanna in Bengal celebrates the new rice of Agrahayana, and Kati Bihu in Assam lights lamps in the paddy fields. Chhath in Bihar thanks the Sun at the end of the harvest season.

## Thanking the cattle

Many harvest festivals honour the animals that work the fields: Mattu Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Kanuma in Andhra Pradesh, and Govardhan Puja after Diwali, when cows and bullocks are bathed, decorated and fed.

## Dates and related pages

- [Makar Sankranti](https://www.hinducalendar.today/sankranti/info/makar-sankranti)
- [Sankranti Festivals](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/sankranti-festivals)
- [Chhath](https://www.hinducalendar.today/chhath)
- [Vamana Dwadashi Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/dwadashi/vamana/vamana-dwadashi-vrat-katha)

## Hindu Festivals

- [Diwali](https://www.hinducalendar.today/diwali/info/diwali)
- [Naraka Chaturdashi](https://www.hinducalendar.today/diwali/naraka-chaturdashi/info/naraka-chaturdashi)
- [Dussehra (Vijayadashami)](https://www.hinducalendar.today/dasara/info/dussehra-vijayadashami)
- [Durga Puja](https://www.hinducalendar.today/durga-puja/info/durga-puja)
- [Navratri](https://www.hinducalendar.today/navratri/info/navratri)
- [Ganesha Chaturthi](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/ganesh-chaturthi/info/ganesha-chaturthi)
- [Holi](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/holi/info/holi)
- [Holashtak](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/holi/info/holashtak)
- [Why Holika Is Worshipped](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/holi/info/why-holika-is-worshipped)
- [Rangwali Holi](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/holi/festivals-holi-rangwali)
- [Ranga Panchami](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/ranga-panchami/info/ranga-panchami)
- [Akshaya Tritiya](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/akshaya-tritiya/info/akshaya-tritiya)
- [Bhai Dooj](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/bhai-dooj/info/bhai-dooj)
- [Karwa Chauth](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/karwa-chauth/info/karwa-chauth)
- [Maha Shivaratri](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/maha-shivaratri/info/maha-shivaratri)
- [Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi)](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/rakhi/info/rakhi)
- [Vasant Panchami](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/vasant-panchami/info/vasant-panchami)
- [Radha Ashtami](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/radha-ashtami/info/radha-ashtami)
- [Hanuman Jayanti](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/hanuman-jayanti/info/hanuman-jayanti)
- [Krishna Janmashtami](https://www.hinducalendar.today/dashavatara/lord-krishna/janmashtami/info/krishna-janmashtami)
- [Rama Navami](https://www.hinducalendar.today/dashavatara/rama-navami/info/rama-navami)
- [Gudi Padwa](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/gudi-padwa/info/gudi-padwa)
- [Ugadi](https://www.hinducalendar.today/telugu/festivals/ugadi/info/ugadi)
- [Makar Sankranti](https://www.hinducalendar.today/sankranti/info/makar-sankranti)
- [Sankranti](https://www.hinducalendar.today/sankranti/info/sankranti)
- [Kumbha Mela](https://www.hinducalendar.today/kumbh-mela/kumbh-mela)
- [Why Festival Dates Differ by Place](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/hindu-festival-date-shift-with-timezone)
- [The Hindu New Year (Samvat)](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/samvat-newyear/new-hindu-samvata-year-begins)
- [The King and Ministers of the Year](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/samvat-newyear/info/about-new-samvata-mantri-mandala)
- [Top 25 Hindu Festivals](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/top-twenty-five-hindu-festivals)
- Indian Harvest Festivals
- [Krishna's Date of Birth](https://www.hinducalendar.today/dashavatara/lord-krishna/krishna-date-of-birth)
- [Lord Rama's Date of Birth](https://www.hinducalendar.today/dashavatara/rama-navami/lord-rama-date-of-birth)
- [When Bhishma Pitamah Died](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/bhishma-ashtami/info/bhishma-pitamah-death-time)
- [Raksha Bandhan During a Lunar Eclipse](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/raksha-bandhan/info/raksha-bandhan-during-chandra-grahan)
- [Sharad Purnima During a Lunar Eclipse](https://www.hinducalendar.today/purnima/sharad/info/sharad-purnima-during-chandra-grahan)
- [Diwali Customs for Prosperity](https://www.hinducalendar.today/diwali/remedies/diwali-wealth-remedies)