Pongal or Thai Pongal is a harvest festival equivalent to a thanksgiving event celebrated by Tamils across the world. Tamillians prepare savories and sweets such as sarakari pongal, vadai, murrukku, payasam and visit each other and exchange greetings. In other parts of India it is celebrated as Sankranti, Makar Sankranti, Kite flying day, Uttarayana and Lohri.