🌞 Pongal & Makara Sankranti 2026 — The True Global Panchāṅga Siddhānta Explanation
By Pundit Mahesh Shastriji – mypanchang.com
Why Pongal and Makara Sankranti do NOT fall on the same date everywhere
Pongal and Makara Sankranti are solar observances, governed not by civil calendars, but by the exact astronomical
moment when the Sun enters Makara (Capricorn) in the Nirayana (sidereal) zodiac.
Because Earth is round and rotating, sunrise, sunset, and day-change occur at different moments worldwide;
therefore Makara Sankranti & Pongal cannot be on the same date globally.
Only a true Drik Siddhānta Panchāṅga, calculated using local sunrise and sunset, gives the correct observance day.
Below are the exact Panchāṅga results for 14–15 January 2026 across the world.
🌍 Global Makara Sankranti & Pongal Panchāṅga – 2026
Seattle, WA, USA
January 14, 2026
☼ 07:55 - 16:42 ☽ 05:00 - 12:47
Dvadasi till Jan/15 06:46
Anuraadha till 13:33
Punyakala: 07:25:30 - 17:12:42
Ekadasi Parana: After 13:17:49
Pongal, Makara Sankranti
Makaravilakku
San Francisco, CA, USA
January 14 2026
☼ 07:25 - 17:12 ☽ 04:18 - 13:32
Dvadasi till Jan/15 06:46
Anuraadha till 13:33
Punyakala: 07:25:30 - 17:12:42
Ekadasi Parana: After 13:17:49
Pongal, Makara Sanskranti
Makaravilakku
Denver, CO, USA
January 14
☼ 07:21 - 16:57 ☽ 04:12 - 13:13
Dvadasi till Allday
Anuraadha till 14:33
Punyakala: 07:20:56 - 16:57:46
Ekadasi Parana: After 13:07:01
Vaishnava Ekadasi 🚩
Pongal, Makara Sankranti
Makaravilakku
Chicago, IL, USA
January 14
☼ 07:17 - 16:42 ☽ 04:09 - 12:53
Dvadasi till Allday
Anuraadha till 15:33
Punyakala: 07:17:33 - 16:42:28
Ekadasi Parana: After 12:58:55
Vaishnava Ekadasi 🚩
Pongal, Makara Sankranti
Makaravilakku
New York, NY, USA
January 14
☼ 07:19 - 16:51 ☽ 04:07 - 13:02
Ekadasi till 07:23
Anuraadha till 16:33
Punyakala: 07:19:44 - 16:51:05
Shattila Ekadasi
Pongal, Makara Sankranti
Makaravilakku
London, UK
January 14
☼ 08:02 - 16:17 ☽ 04:52 - 12:03
Ekadasi till 12:23
Anuraadha till 21:33
Sun:Makara 09:34
Punyakala: 09:34:33 - 16:17:43
Shattila Ekadasi
Pongal, Makara Sankranti
Makaravilakku
Tirumala, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
January 14
☼ 06:40 - 18:02 ☽ 02:46 - 14:16
Ekadasi till 17:53
Anuraadha till Jan/15 03:03
Sun:Makara 15:04
Punyakala: 15:04:33 - 18:02:45
Shattila Ekadasi
Pongal, Makara Sankranti
Makaravilakku
Sydney, Australia
January 14
☼ 05:54 - 20:09 ☽ 22:55 - 09:40
Ekadasi till 23:23
Anuraadha till Allday
Sun:Makara 20:34
Punyakala: 13:04:18 - 20:08:23
Shattila Ekadasi
Dhanurmasa Ends
Bhogi, Lohri
January 15
☼ 05:54 - 20:09 ☽ 23:22 - 10:44
Dvadasi till Jan/16 01:46
Anuraadha till 08:33
Ekadasi Parana: 06:01:10 - 08:50:34
Vaishnava Ekadasi 🚩
Pongal, Makara Sankranti
Makaravilakku
📜 The Sacred Rule of Pongal & Makara Sankranti
The rule for pongal is celebrated when the makara sankramana occurs before the sunset, then the Pongal and Makara Sankranti is celebrated on the same day.
The panchanga calculations are geocentric, if you look at GMT UTC time of Sun entering Makara rashi is on January 14th 2026 at Sun:Makara 09:34, so India is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead, adding 5 hours 30 minutes gives 3:04 PM on January 14th 2026, Sunset in Tirumala AP is around 18:02 PM, Average Sunset in India will be between 5:30 to 6:30, but the Makara Sankramana is occuring at 3:04 PM, hence Makara Sankranti is on 14th January in India, and punyakala till sunset will follow right after that.
If you look at Sydney Australia, Makara Sankramana is happening on January 14th at Sun:Makara 20:34, and the sunset is at 20:09 hence Pongal, Makara Sankranti will be celebrated in Sydney on January 15th, but Punyakala is on 14th January as mentioned in the later part of the day, as per makara sankramana punyakala nirnayam as per agama.
"3 Naadis/ Ghadiya / Ghatika after sunset is called saayan sandhya, if the makara sankramana happens during this time then the current day's previous half is punkyakala", as per that rule Makara sanrkanti punyakala in Sydney is on January 14th at Punyakala: 13:04:18 - 20:08:23 but the Pongal, Makara Sankranti is celebrated on January 15th 2026.
🚫 Please do not refer Makara Sankranti as Uttarayana
Please do not refer Makara Sankranti as Uttarayana, winter solstice is real uttarayana as per drishya ganita. True Drishya Ganitha Panchangams like Kalanirnaya Panchang (कालनिर्णय), Date Panchang (दाते पंचांग) will never use nirayana surya to determine Ayana. Ayana has direct relationship with the Sun, It doesn't have anything to do with niranaya zodiac calculated from the fix star close to the center of milky way galaxy.
There are two types of zodiac -- Fixed and Tropical
There are two types of zodiac -- Fixed and Tropical. Every year while circling around the sun the earth slides a little as earth wobbles while circling around the Sun. When you extend the north pole to celestial north pole it currently points to north star after few thousands years it will point to different star. This creates a problem. Twice a year the tilt is neighter away or faces the sun. This points are called equinoxes. This is also a point where celestial equator and ecliptic intersect. The first point is called vernal equinox and as per the tropical zodiac it is the starting point of zodiac but as earth wobbles this point shifts and giving rise to ayanamsha. The ayanamsha is observed with the reference to some fix distant stars. At some point in the history the tropical zodiac was properly alligned to the a star 180 degrees opposite to spica -- chitra nakshatra -- which is the starting point of sidereal zodiac -- fixed zodiac or the zero degrees of aries. Every year the vernal equinox slides by 50 seconds as the earth wobbles.
The misconception: “Makara Sankranti is Uttarayana”
There is a common misconception that Makar Samkranti is the Uttarayana. This is because at one point in time Sayana Zodiac (Sayana zodiac start with vernal equinox -- 0 degrees of Aries) and Nirayana Zodiac (Nirayana zodiac or fixed zodiac starts with some fixed starting point that is 0 degrees of star ashwini or 180 degrees opposite of star Chitra -- Spica) were same. Every year equinoxes slides by 50 seconds due to precision of equinoxes, giving birth to Ayanamsha and causing Makar Samkranti to slide further. As a result if you think Makar Samkranti is uttarayana then as it’s sliding it will come in June after 9000 years. However Makar Samkranti still holds importance in our rituals as a Samkranti. All Druka Panchanga makers will use the position of the tropical Sun to determine Uttarayana and Dakshinayana. Hence January 14th isn’t Uttarayana.
Uttarayana / Dakshinayana (seasonal truth)
Uttarayana / Dakshinayana: The season occurs based on tropical sun (without ayanamsha). This is due to earth’s tilt of 23.45 degrees. The earth circles around sun with this tilt. When the tilt is facing the Sun we get summer and when the tilt is away from the Sun we get winter. Because of this tilt it seems like the Sun travels north and south of the equator. This apperant motion of the sun moving up and down in latitude is called Uttarayana – Dakshinayana is apperant motion of the sun is moving towards South in latitudes. This motion of the sun moving towards the north is called Uttarayana. When it is moving towards the south it is called Dakshinayana. This causes rise to seaons. They are dependent on equinoxes and solstices. Hence Actual Uttarayana occurs on December 21st/22nd of every year. All Drik panchanga makers like Janmabhoomi/Date panchang/Govt. of India's Rastriya panchanga will use December/21st or 22nd for Uttarayana. Winter solstice is begining of Uttarayana and Summer Solstice is begining of dakshinayana. Vernal equinox is begining of the sayana zodiac that is 0 degrees of Aries. From that every year we apply ayanamsha (to arrive at nirayana zodiac) with reference to some fix star after sliding of vernal equinox -- 0 degree of Aries.
Historical drift of Makara Sankranti
Begining of 1000, the sun used to enter makara on December 31st. Begining of 1500 the Sun used to enter makara on January 8th, 1800 the Sun used to enter makara on January 11th. Now its around January 14th and 15th. Every year it slides more. The sun's entering into sayana makara is around December 21st/22nd, also from that time sun apperantly seem to move upwards in latitudes. This takes roughly long time to slide a month and hence it became common practise to ignore the actual siddhanta but to stick to nirayana sun for uttarayana. Actual ayana gati is never sidereal its always tropical. Taking it sidereal is wrong to determine seasons and uttarayana/dakshinayana. Indian Vedic Calendar/panchangam is combination of Sayana and Nirayana system. For all other calculations nirayana positions of luminaries are used but for seasons and ayana only sayan surya is used. Hence Actual Uttarayana is December 21st/22nd.
Sun’s latitude proof (Uttarayana)
Following Sun's latitude will explain you how uttarayana and dakshinayana works:
On December 18/2010 Sun's Latitude (@ 0h UT) is -23 degrees 22 minutes and 31 seconds.
On December 19/2010 Sun's Latitude (@ 0h UT) is -23 degrees 24 minutes and 09 seconds.
On December 20/2010 Sun's Latitude (@ 0h UT) is -23 degrees 25 minutes and 19 seconds.
On December 21/2010 Sun's Latitude (@ 0h UT) is -23 degrees 26 minutes and 01 seconds.
On December 22/2010 Sun's Latitude (@ 0h UT) is -23 degrees 26 minutes and 15 seconds.
On December 23/2010 Sun's Latitude (@ 0h UT) is -23 degrees 26 minutes and 01 seconds.
On December 24/2010 Sun's Latitude (@ 0h UT) is -23 degrees 25 minutes and 18 seconds.
On January 14/2011 Sun's Latitude (@ 0h UT) is -21 degrees 24 minutes and 13 seconds.
Here you'll notice that latitudes are increasing till December 22nd and after that it's starting to decrease. These are in negative and hence it shows the sun is moving to south. When the latitude starting to decrease it means sun is moving up -- uttarayana. on January 14th you'll notice that the sun's latitude has already decreased -- the sun has moved up to -21 degrees. Hence January 14th isn't Uttarayana. Actual Uttarayana is December 22nd. Same way you can study Sun's Latitude for 2014 and you'll notice the same thing about Actual Uttarayana, Dakshinayana dates.
Sun’s latitude proof (Dakshinayana)
Same way if we study dakshinayana.
On Jun 20/2011 (@ 0:0 UT) Sun's latitude is 23-25-37,
Jun 21/2011 23-26-08,
Jun 22/2011 23-26-13,
on Jun 23/2011 23-25-54.
You'll notice that from Jun 23rd midnight at universal time sun's latitude is decreasing before that it was increasing and hence before reaching midnight of 23/Jun Sun already starting to decend in latitude -- dakshinayana and hence Dakshinayana is Jun/22nd Not in July.
🌾 Conclusion
Makara Sankranti and Pongal are sacred because they mark the Sun’s sidereal transition into Makara; however,
Uttarayana/Dakshinayana are seasonal and depend on the tropical Sun (solstices & equinoxes).
This is why Makara Sankranti ≠ Uttarayana.
This article preserves the true synthesis of the Vedic calendar: Nirayana for ritual timings and zodiac crossings,
and Sayana for seasonal ayana gati.
Prepared with astronomical precision by
Pundit Mahesh Shastriji
mypanchang.com — The Global Panchāṅga Authority
