About Sankranti / Pongal Puja
Makar Sankranti (Karnataka) and Pongal (Tamil Nadu) celebrate the Sun's transition into Capricorn (Makara Rashi) · marking the beginning of Uttarayana (sun's northward journey). This harvest festival is a thanksgiving to the Sun God, nature, and cattle. The ritual is deeply rooted in agrarian culture. In Karnataka, Ellu-Bella (sesame-jaggery mixture) is shared with the phrase "Ellu bella thindu olle maathaadi" (eat sesame-jaggery and speak good words).
When to perform it
January 14 or 15 every year (rarely January 13). The auspicious Punyakala for puja is at the time of Makara Sankramana (exact solar transition time, usually in the afternoon).
The South Indian procedure
Karnataka: Sankranti with Ellu-Bella, decorated cows (Kichchu Haayisuvudu / cattle festival), kite flying, sesame-jaggery sweets. Tamil: Pongal with boiling of sweet rice (Pongal) until it overflows · "Pongalo Pongal!" cry marks the auspicious moment.
This is the form our pandits follow by default in Vijayanagar — Mysore families are overwhelmingly Kannada-tradition. Tell us if your family follows a different sampradaya and we will match a purohit accordingly.
Why families book it
- Thanksgiving to Surya (Sun God) for the harvest and sustenance
- Receives divine blessings for the new solar year
- Celebrates seasonal abundance and natural cycles
- Strengthens family bonds through shared rituals
- Ellu-Bella distribution promotes community harmony
- Promotes gratitude and contentment · key Vedic values
How the Sankranti / Pongal Puja proceeds
- Sunrise Surya Puja · early morning worship of the Sun
- Surya Namaskar and Aditya Hridayam
- Pongal boiling ritual · with "Pongalo Pongal!" call
- Sesame and jaggery offering (Til-Til)
- Gopooja · blessing of cattle (or symbolic)
- Sankranti Aarti
- Ellu-Bella / Til-Gul distribution to family and neighbors
What's included
- Surya Puja with Aditya Hridayam recitation
- Kalash Puja
- Sesame (Ellu/Til) puja and offering
- Cow/cattle puja (Gopooja) if available
- Pongal/sweet rice boiling ritual
- Sankranti Aarti
- Ellu-Bella / Til-Gul distribution
Samagri delivered to you
- Sesame seeds (white and black)
- Jaggery, coconut, puffed rice
- Raw rice, milk, sugarcane
- Turmeric plant with root (for Pongal)
- Mango leaves, flowers
- New clay pot (for Pongal boiling ritual)
- Camphor, agarbathi, kumkum
- Ellu-Bella mixture (pre-packed)
Delivered to your address in Vijayanagar before the pandit arrives — no trip to Devaraja Market on the morning of the ceremony.
Why Vijayanagar families book Sankranti / Pongal Puja with us
सत्यमेव जयते नानृतम् · “Truth alone triumphs.” · Mundaka Upanishad
Veda pathashala trained
Purohits from traditional pathashala backgrounds, performing the full procedure — not an abridged version to finish early.
Kannada first
Sankalpa and the procedure explained in Kannada as standard. Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and English on request.
Samagri delivered
Every item brought to your door — no trip to Devaraja Market on the morning of the ceremony.
Local, not commuting
Pandits who live in Mysore, so your muhurat does not depend on someone driving 145 km that morning.
Fixed price upfront
The amount is agreed on WhatsApp before you confirm. No dakshina negotiation at the end of the puja.
Same-day possible
Satyanarayana Puja, Ayudha Puja and most home rituals can usually be arranged within 24–48 hours.
Transparent Pricing
Sankranti / Pongal Puja in Vijayanagar starts at ₹1,199
That covers the purohit, the full 1–2 hours procedure and the samagri kit delivered to your address in Vijayanagar. The final amount depends on the scale you want — number of purohits, whether a homam is included, guest count — and it is confirmed on WhatsApp before you commit. Nothing is added afterwards.
Get exact price for VijayanagarBook Sankranti / Pongal Puja in Vijayanagar
1–2 hours · samagri kit included · from ₹1,199. We reply on WhatsApp within 15 minutes.
Simple Process
Book Sankranti / Pongal Puja in Vijayanagar in 3 steps
श्रद्धया देयम् · “Give with faith.” · Taittiriya Upanishad
Sankranti / Pongal Puja — common questions
Is this puja for Kannada Sankranti or Tamil Pongal?
Both! Gopuja has pandits for Karnataka Sankranti tradition (Ellu-Bella, Surya puja) and Tamil Pongal tradition (Sakkarai Pongal, Mattu Pongal). Please specify your tradition when booking.
What is the significance of the Pongal overflowing?
The boiling of sweet rice until it overflows from the pot is a symbol of abundance · "may prosperity overflow into our lives." The exact moment of overflow is considered highly auspicious.
Other pujas in Vijayanagar
Sankranti / Pongal Puja in other Mysore localities
All pujas in Vijayanagar · Mysore home · Sankranti / Pongal Puja — full ritual guide
Planning your Sankranti / Pongal Puja in Vijayanagar
Vijayanagar sits in West Mysore, close to Vijayanagar 1st to 4th Stage, and we serve the whole belt around it — Kuvempunagar, Hebbal, Bogadi, Metagalli included. Whether you are in an independent house, one of the newer apartment projects, or a family home that has been in the locality for generations, the sankranti / pongal puja is performed at your address with the samagri brought to you.
Mysore families usually want the Kannada tradition, and that is our default here — the sankalpa, the procedure and the explanation all in Kannada. If your family follows a different sampradaya, or you need the ritual explained in English for relatives joining from abroad, say so when you book and we will match a purohit accordingly.
Not settled on a date yet? The muhurat calendar lists the auspicious windows, and the 2026 panchang goes month by month. Compare costs on the pricing page, read what other families said in reviews, or check the FAQ before you message us.