Makara Sankranti is the first Hindu festival in the English Calendar. It falls in the Magh month of the Hindu Calendar. It is the festival dedicated to SUN GOD and is linked to the Rabi crop.
Most Hindu festivals are celebrated as per the Lunar cycle. It is one of the few Hindu festivals celebrated as per the solar calendar; hence, it always falls on the 14th/15th of January.
Simply said, on this day sun moves into Makar (Capricorn) Rashi and announces the end of winter. The sun, which in the last few months has moved toward the southern hemisphere and reached the tropic of Capricorn, now starts towards the northern hemisphere. It is also called UTTAR NARAYANA, meaning the movement of the Sun God toward the north side. From this day, the days start becoming longer and the days warmer.
If Makar Sankranti is celebrated as per the solar calendar, why does the date change sometimes?
In the solar calendar, after every year, the Sun reaches the same location 20 minutes late. This means that every 72 years, the sun needs an adjustment of 1 day. The English / Gregorian calendar does not accommodate this difference, and hence, Makar Sankranti sometimes shifts from 14 January to 15 January.
How many Sankranti in a year?
Sankranti means the day when the Sun moves from one constellation to another. In a year sun travels through the 12 zodiac constellations, and hence, there are twelve Sankrantis.
From Makar Sankranti, the Sun starts moving towards the North direction, which is also known as Uttarayana. Uttarayana is regarded as the period of Divinity. Although the entire year is considered auspicious, this period is considered slightly more auspicious.
What are the other names of Makar Sankranti?
Regional variations mark the festival and are known by different names across the country.
| Assam | 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 |
Makar Sankranti – Common Practices.
Makara Sankranti is an important festival for an agriculture-based society. Typically, people take baths in sacred rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Narmada, Kaveri or lakes and, in a way, wash away their past sins. They worship SUN for its power and warmth and prey for the success and prosperity of near and dear ones.
In most parts of India, sweets with sesame (til) bound with jaggery (gud) are made. It symbolises togetherness in peace despite the uniqueness and differences between individuals.
It is part of the Rabi crop cycle. The crop is already sown, and the hard labour in the field is almost completed. So, this is the period of socializing and enjoying the company of near and dear ones.
In many areas, Kite Flying is an integral part of the festival. In Maharashtra and especially in Gujarat, kite flying is a dominant part of the festival. UNDHIYU- a dish of baked or cooked assorted winter vegetables, is a festival special along with Gur-til Chikki.
THE IMPORTANCE OF TIL GUR.
Sesame seeds are black on the outside and white on the inside. The message it gives us is, ‘Maintain purity inside.’ If you scrub the sesame seed, it becomes white outside also. We are like a sesame seed with respect to this Universe. If you see, what is our significance in this universe; what is life? Next to nothing, like a sesame seed, a mere speck! We are minuscule. We are tiny and sweet, delightful like sesame seeds with jaggery. So stay small and sweet, and you will truly become big. ( as from Art of living)
DIFFERENT WAYS TO CELEBRATE MAKAR SANKRANTI.
In Himachal Pradesh, it is dedicated to Agni Devta, as after the period of cold months, with hardly any work, including agriculture, people look forward to resuming normal life. A day before LOHRI ( also called Masant) is celebrated. People light a fire and sing and dance around it. As a symbol of change and almost coming out of hibernation, the house is cleaned and decorated as part of Madraison Puja. People eat Khichdi – made with Lintel. People also eat sugarcane and jaggery. In Punjab, a day before Kheer- with rice is cooked in Sugarcane juice. It is allowed to cool overnight and served cold in the morning.
The way to celebrate the festival differs from place to place. In some places, it is even a four-day festival. I will keep updating it as and when fresh and authentic updates are available. There is a detailed celebration description at artofliving.com. Sharing a few from there. There is quite a detailed state-wise celebration writeup at news18.com.
Death On Makar Sankranti.
According to the Hindu belief, if one dies on Makar Sankranti, they are not reborn but go straight to paradise.
WEARING BLACK ON SANKRANTI.
Sankranti is the start of warm days after long cold months. Black colour helps absorb heat and this is one festival where Hindus wear black.
On this day, Lord Sun forgave his son Shani. Hence, people wear black to appease Shani.
Kite Flying On Makar Sankranti
People get exposed to the sun while flying the kite. , It is a much-needed exposure for the body after the cold winter months.
People believe that Kites carry our message to their ancestors. And they also take away our sins. So they even celebrate when other kite flyers cut their kite.
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DISCLAIMER
This collation of information does not guarantee factual correctness. It is a collation from different sources. The author is not an expert on the subject. This is part of the #IgnorantHindu series of articles and blogs- where the author has tried to place basic information for public consumption.
