When the first sugarcane stalks go up and the sky fills with kites, Pongal stops being just a festival and starts becoming a visual story.
In 2026, that story is unfolding on Instagram feeds where warm harvest tones, glowing clay pots, and cinematic village backdrops are being reimagined through ChatGPT-powered AI photo edits.
These prompts aren’t about filters or quick tweaks; they’re about turning everyday portraits into festival moments that look handcrafted, emotional, and made to be shared.
How to Create the Image
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Upload a clear, front-facing photo with good lighting and a neutral background.
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Copy your chosen Pongal AI photo editing prompt from the list.
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Paste the prompt into ChatGPT or your preferred AI image editor.
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Add any personal details like outfit color or background preference.
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Generate the image and download the best version.
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Crop to a 4:5 or 9:16 ratio for Instagram.
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Post with festive hashtags and a short, emotional caption.
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Pongal 2026 Festive Trend: 10 Best ChatGPT AI Photo Editing Prompts for Instagram-Viral Festive Images
Prompt 1: Pongal Pot Ritual Close-Up
Use This:
"Transform the uploaded portrait into an intimate festive scene focused on a traditional Pongal pot boiling over with milk and rice. Preserve the subject’s real face and features exactly. The subject kneels beside a decorated clay pot wrapped in turmeric leaves and flowers, gently smiling while holding a wooden ladle. Use shallow depth of field to keep the pot in sharp focus while the background softly blurs into a festive village courtyard. Add soft morning mist, warm sunlight rays, subtle smoke from the pot, and pastel floral garlands overhead. Apply rich, earthy color tones, realistic fabric textures, soft cinematic lighting, and a square Instagram crop for an editorial-style festive post."
Best for: Aesthetic cultural storytelling
Prompt 2: Kite Festival Rooftop Vibes
Use This:
"Create a high-energy rooftop portrait set during Pongal kite flying celebrations. Use the exact face from the uploaded image without changes. The subject wears a modern-fusion outfit traditional kurta paired with denim or festive jacket holding a colorful kite spool mid-action. The sky is filled with bright kites, soft clouds, and warm afternoon sunlight. Add motion blur to the flying kites, crisp facial detail, cinematic shadows, and a slightly desaturated urban-festive color grade. Include subtle wind effects in hair and clothing, a city skyline in the distance, and a vertical 9:16 composition perfect for Instagram Stories and Reels."
Best for: Youthful, trendy Pongal reels
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Prompt 3: Floral Rangoli Dream Frame
Use This:
"Turn the subject into the centerpiece of a large, detailed Pongal floral rangoli made of marigolds, roses, and rice flour patterns. Preserve the original face exactly. Position the subject seated gracefully in the center, wearing pastel silk attire with traditional jewelry. Use top-down soft sunlight, gentle shadows, and macro-level detail in the flower petals. Add light floating pollen particles, dreamy pastel tones, ultra-sharp facial focus, and a smooth editorial blur around the edges. Format the image in a clean 4:5 Instagram portrait ratio with soft cinematic highlights."
Best for: Soft, elegant festive portraits
Prompt 4: Temple Festival Glow
Use This:
"Create a majestic portrait set outside a South Indian temple during Pongal festivities. Use the real face from the uploaded image with no changes. The subject stands under hanging oil lamps and banana leaf decorations, dressed in a rich silk saree or traditional dhoti and shawl. Add glowing diya lights, soft incense smoke drifting in the air, and warm golden lighting reflecting off temple carvings. Use cinematic HDR lighting, realistic skin tones, deep shadows, and ultra-HD clarity. Frame in vertical Instagram format with a grand, cinematic mood."
Best for: Spiritual and cultural themes
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Prompt 5: Countryside Bicycle Festive Ride
Use This:
"Transform the portrait into a scenic countryside Pongal ride. Preserve facial features exactly. The subject rides a vintage bicycle decorated with flowers, sugarcane stalks, and festive ribbons along a rural path lined with paddy fields. Add warm sunrise light, soft lens flares, and gentle motion blur in the background to show movement. Use crisp focus on the subject’s face, natural color grading with earthy greens and golds, and a cinematic 4:5 Instagram layout."
Best for: Lifestyle and storytelling posts
Prompt 6: Family Pongal Celebration Scene
Use This:
"Place the subject in a cozy village courtyard surrounded by a festive Pongal family gathering. Keep the exact facial identity. The subject sits near elders and children, with decorated Pongal pots, banana leaves, and sugarcane in the scene. Add soft sunlight filtering through trees, gentle smiles in the background, and warm, nostalgic color tones. Use shallow depth of field to keep the subject sharp while the family softly blurs, creating a heartfelt storytelling frame in vertical Instagram format."
Best for: Emotional and family-based posts
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Prompt 7: Traditional Dance Motion Portrait
Use This:
"Create a dynamic festive dance portrait inspired by traditional Tamil folk dance. Preserve the real face exactly. The subject is captured mid-spin, wearing colorful traditional attire with flowing fabric. Add motion trails to the outfit, sharp facial focus, festival lights in the background, and warm spotlight-style lighting. Apply cinematic contrast, vibrant festive colors, and a vertical 9:16 frame ideal for viral Instagram Reels."
Best for: Artistic and energetic visuals
Prompt 8: Sunset River Ritual Look
Use This:
"Transform the subject into a peaceful Pongal sunset scene by a riverbank. Keep the original face unchanged. The subject holds a small flower offering near the water, dressed in soft-toned traditional clothing. Add golden reflections on the river, gentle wind ripples, soft glowing sky, and subtle haze. Use cinematic warm tones, natural skin texture, and a clean 4:5 Instagram composition for an elegant festive post."
Best for: Calm, aesthetic festival vibes
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Prompt 9: Night Lantern Festival Glow
Use This:
"Create a nighttime Pongal celebration scene filled with floating paper lanterns and fairy lights. Use the exact face from the uploaded image. The subject stands in the center wearing festive silk attire with soft light reflecting on their face. Add glowing lanterns in the sky, bokeh light effects, subtle mist, and cinematic blue-and-gold color grading. Use ultra-HD clarity, soft shadows, and a vertical Instagram frame for a magical, viral-ready festive look."
Best for: Dramatic, viral nighttime posts
Prompt 10: Village Street Celebration Parade
Use This:
"Create a vibrant Pongal village street parade scene with the subject as the festive focal point. Use the exact face from the uploaded reference image with full identity preservation and no facial alterations. The subject walks confidently down a colorful rural street decorated with mango leaves, flower garlands, sugarcane arches, and hand-painted kolam designs on the ground. Surround the scene with drummers, children holding small flags, and elders watching from doorsteps to add authentic cultural energy.
Use warm afternoon sunlight with soft dust particles glowing in the air, cinematic depth of field, ultra-sharp facial focus, and rich festive color grading with earthy reds, turmeric yellows, and leaf greens. Add subtle motion blur to the background crowd for realism while keeping the subject crisp and detailed. Frame in a vertical 4:5 Instagram composition with ultra-HD clarity, natural skin texture, and soft highlights for a truly viral-ready festive image."
Best for: Lively, cinematic festival storytelling
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Image Credits: Google Gemini AI
