Pongal School Holiday 2025: Kerala and Tamil Nadu declare holiday on January 14 - Check details

Pongal, famously known as Thai Pongal, is a traditional Hindu harvest festival widely celebrated in southern Indian states. On January 13 being celebrated, which marks the first day of the four-day Pongal festival. The festival is dedicated to the sun god is celebrated as Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana where the festivities continue for three days.

Pongal School Holiday in Kerala

Kerala government announced a holiday for Tuesday in view of Pongal festivities. This implies that schools, offices and other institutions will remain closed in the state on the occasion of Makara Pongal. The six districts of Kerala that will observe a holiday on January 14, include Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Palakkad, and Wayanad.

Pongal School Holiday in Tamil Nadu

Notably, Tamil Nadu government declared a five-day holiday for all schools, colleges, and government offices due to Pongal festivities. The schools in the state will remain closed until Sunday, January 19. Following a week-long holiday, the schools will reopen on Monday, January 20, 2025. The celebrations begin with Pongal on January 14, followed by Thiruvalluvar Day on January 15 and Uzhavar Thirunal on January 16. The government declared January 17 as a holiday due to public outcry.

The state government said, “The Pongal festival falls on January 14, followed by holidays on January 15, 16, 18, and 19. Many government employees and students travel to their hometowns to celebrate Pongal. Considering their requests, the government has declared January 17 as a holiday,” in an official statement dated January 4.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday extended greetings on the occasion of Pongal. In a post on X, he stated, "Pongal is the grand festival of Tamils! A cultural masterpiece of our heritage! A secular festival of equality that celebrates labour, agriculture, and nature! Celebrate #Pongal2025 across the state with unity, art, and sports events!"