Makara Sankranti is the first major Hindu festival in the English calendar year. It falls in the month of Magh in the Hindu calendar. The festival is dedicated to the Sun God and is closely linked to the Rabi harvest.
Most Hindu festivals follow the lunar calendar, but Makara Sankranti is one of the few that follow the solar calendar. This is why it is observed every year on the 14th or 15th of January.
On this day, the Sun enters Makara (Capricorn) Rashi, marking the end of winter. After months of moving southward, the Sun begins its journey toward the northern hemisphere. This transition is known as Uttarayana, meaning the Sun’s northward movement.
From this point onward, days gradually become longer and warmer, signalling renewal, growth, and the return of light.
If Makar Sankranti is celebrated as per the solar calendar, why does the date change sometimes?
In the solar calendar, the Sun reaches the same position about 20 minutes later each year. Over time, this small difference adds up. Roughly every 72 years, it results in a shift of one full day.
The English (Gregorian) calendar does not fully adjust for this drift. As a result, Makara Sankranti, which is tied to the Sun’s movement, sometimes shifts from 14 January to 15 January.
How many Sankranti in a year?
Sankranti refers to the day when the Sun moves from one zodiac constellation to another. Over the course of a year, the Sun passes through all twelve zodiac signs, and therefore, there are twelve Sankrantis in a year.
From Makara Sankranti, the Sun begins its northward journey, known as Uttarayana. Uttarayana is regarded as a period of divinity and spiritual significance. While the entire year is considered auspicious, this phase is believed to be especially auspicious, marking a shift toward light, growth, and higher awareness.
What are the other names of Makar Sankranti?
Regional variations mark the festival and are known by different names across the country.
| Makara Sankranti, Suggi Habba, Makar Sankramana | Bihu , Magh Bihu |
| Andhra Pradesh | Pedda Pandaga Makara Sankranti , Suggi Habba |
| Central India | Sukarat, Sankrant |
| Goa | Makar Sankranti, Halid Kumkum |
| Haryana & Punjab | Maghi |
| Himachal Pradesh | Maghi , Magha Ra Saza |
| Karnataka | Makara Sankranti , Suggi Habba, Makar Sankramana |
| Kashmir | Shishur Saenkraat |
| Maharashtra | Makar Sankranti |
| Odisha | Makara Sankranti, Makara Chaula |
| Telangana, West Bengal | Poush Sankranti |
| Tamil Nadu | Thai Pongal |
| Uttarakhand. | Ghughuti |
| Uttar Pradesh | Makara Sankranti, Khichdi Sankranti |
WHICH COLOUR TO WEAR ON MAKAR SANKRANTI?
The househelp came to work on Makar Sankrant wearing a black sari. We were aghast. In the region we come from—Uttarakhand—no one would wear black on an auspicious day. She, however, was completely clear. In Maharashtra, black is the auspicious colour for Makar Sankranti.
That small exchange was a quiet reminder of how deeply regional beliefs shape even something as simple as colour. Same festival. Same day. Very different meanings.
In Maharashtra, wearing black on Makar Sankranti is both practical and symbolic. The festival falls in the heart of winter, and black absorbs sunlight, offering warmth. It is also believed to absorb solar energy, ward off the evil eye, and provide grounding and strength. Some even link the colour to Chaya, the shadow consort of the Sun God, seeing it as another way to embrace the Sun God’s power.
Elsewhere, the approach is very different. In Gujarat and across many parts of South India, including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, black colour is usually avoided. Bright colours dominate instead. Red, yellow, green, and purple are preferred for their vibrancy and auspiciousness. Yellow, in particular, is associated with the Sun God and positivity, marking the sun’s northward journey, Uttarayan. Rich silk sarees, colourful kites, and festive jewellery reflect joy, prosperity, and the promise of a new season and harvest.
The contrast is striking. While black is generally avoided in Hindu festivals, Makar Sankranti in Maharashtra is a rare exception, where black becomes auspicious and celebratory. In most other regions, brightness and colour take centre stage.
What looks like a contradiction is really a mix of climate, culture, and interpretation. The festival is the same, but how it is dressed, seen, and celebrated changes with geography. And I again wonder- why in the coldest area of the nation, Uttarakhand, Black is not worn. Whereas Black would have made sense.
If you have a reason or a story associated with colours to wear and Sankranti, do tell me.
Makar Sankranti – Common Practices.
Makara Sankranti holds special importance in an agriculture-based society. Traditionally, people take ritual baths in sacred rivers such as the Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Narmada, and Kaveri, or in nearby lakes—symbolically cleansing themselves of past impurities. They worship the Sun God, thanking him for light and warmth, and pray for health, prosperity, and well-being for their loved ones.
Across much of India, sweets made from sesame (til) and jaggery (gud) are prepared. These sweets symbolise togetherness, ie different elements coming together in harmony, despite individual differences.
The festival aligns with the Rabi crop cycle. By this time, sowing is complete, and the hardest labour in the fields is over. It becomes a season for relaxation, socialising, and celebrating with family and community.
In many regions, kite flying is an essential part of the celebration. It is especially prominent in Maharashtra and Gujarat, where skies fill with colourful kites. In Gujarat, the festival is incomplete without Undhiyu, a traditional dish of mixed winter vegetables. To complete the serving, gur-til chikki is served, making food as central to the celebration as faith and festivity.
THE IMPORTANCE OF TIL GUR.
Sesame seeds are black on the outside and white on the inside. The message is simple: keep the inside pure. When the outer layer is rubbed away, the seed turns white outside as well.
In the vastness of the universe, we are much like a sesame seed—tiny, almost insignificant. Life itself is a mere speck. Yet, like sesame mixed with jaggery, small things can be sweet, nourishing, and meaningful.
The teaching is gentle and profound: remain small, remain sweet. In doing so, one truly becomes big.
DIFFERENT WAYS TO CELEBRATE MAKAR SANKRANTI.
In Himachal Pradesh, the festival is dedicated to Agni Devta. After long, harsh winter months—with little agricultural or outdoor work—people look forward to returning to normal life. A day before Makara Sankranti, Lohri (also called Masant) is celebrated. Bonfires are lit, and people sing and dance around the fire.
As a symbol of change and emergence from winter’s hibernation, homes are cleaned and decorated as part of Madraison Puja. Khichdi, made with lentils, is traditionally eaten, along with sugarcane and jaggery. In Punjab, rice kheer cooked in sugarcane juice is prepared a day earlier, left to cool overnight, and served cold the next morning.
The way Makara Sankranti is celebrated varies widely across regions. In some places, the festival extends for four days. I will continue to update this as more authentic and verified information becomes available. Detailed descriptions of these celebrations can be found on artofliving.com, and a comprehensive state-wise account is available on news18.com.
Death On Makar Sankranti.
According to Hindu belief, dying on Makara Sankranti is considered highly auspicious. It is believed that a soul departing on this day is freed from the cycle of rebirth and attains direct passage to paradise (moksha).
WEARING BLACK ON SANKRANTI.
Sankranti marks the beginning of warmer days after the long winter months. The colour black absorbs heat, and Makara Sankranti is one of the rare Hindu festivals where wearing black is considered auspicious.
According to belief, on this day, Lord Surya forgave his son Shani. To honour this reconciliation and to seek Shani’s blessings, people wear black on Sankranti.
Kite Flying On Makar Sankranti
Kite flying brings people out into the sun, offering much-needed sunlight exposure after the long winter months.
There is also a belief that kites carry messages to one’s ancestors and take away past sins. This is why people celebrate even when their kite is cut by another—it is seen not as a loss, but as a release.
To connect, send an email or connect on Twitter S_kotnala.
To subscribe to the weekly updates, click here. BLOG/2/2021/14/#IgnorantHindu UPDATED 2026 /006/2026/641/1168
DISCLAIMER
This compilation does not claim complete factual accuracy. It brings together information from multiple sources, and the author does not present himself as an expert on the subject. This piece is part of the #IgnorantHindu series—an attempt to place basic, accessible information about Indian festivals and traditions in the public domain.
