Makar Sankranti , January Makar Sankranti in India – The Sacred Celebration of the Sun's Northward Journey

Makar Sankranti in India – The Sacred Celebration of the Sun's Northward Journey

Each year, as winter begins to loosen its grip and the sun starts its northward journey, millions across India come together to celebrate a festival that is both astronomical and deeply spiritual—Makar Sankranti. Observed annually around January 14 or 15, Makar Sankranti marks the transition of the sun into Makara Rashi (Capricorn zodiac sign) and the beginning of Uttarayana, the six-month auspicious phase in the Hindu calendar when the sun moves toward the Northern Hemisphere. It is one of the few Indian festivals based on the solar calendar, which explains its consistent date every year.

While most Indian festivals follow the lunar calendar and vary annually, Makar Sankranti is rooted in the solar cycle. This astronomical significance elevates the festival to one of cosmic alignment, celebrating nature, harvest, and human gratitude. The word "Sankranti" in Sanskrit means 'movement' or 'transmigration', and "Makara" refers to the zodiac sign of Capricorn. Together, they symbolize the moment the sun enters Capricorn, an event celebrated with immense joy and a myriad of customs across India's diverse states.

Astronomical and Spiritual Importance

From an astronomical standpoint, Makar Sankranti is pivotal—it heralds the arrival of longer days and shorter nights, a shift that has been observed by agrarian societies for millennia. In Vedic texts, this transition is referred to as the entry of the sun into Uttarayana, considered highly auspicious. According to the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna stated that those who die during Uttarayana attain moksha (liberation). This belief infuses the festival with deep spiritual significance.

Spiritually, Makar Sankranti marks a phase of increased positivity and divine consciousness. It is seen as a time when the sun god Surya begins his northward journey toward the abode of the gods. People pay homage to the sun, thanking it for a successful harvest and praying for abundance and prosperity. Surya, as the giver of life and light, holds a revered place in Hinduism, and this festival is essentially a celebration of his grace and blessings.

The Festival’s Agrarian Roots

Makar Sankranti also marks the end of the winter harvest season and is celebrated as a harvest festival in many regions. It is a time of agricultural abundance, when farmers bring in crops such as rice, sugarcane, sesame, wheat, and mustard. This aspect of the festival strengthens its connection to nature, emphasizing themes of gratitude, community, and renewal.

The rituals and practices that accompany Makar Sankranti differ across the Indian subcontinent, but they all share the underlying theme of offering thanks for the bounties of nature. The day is celebrated with fairs, feasts, dances, kite flying, bonfires, and spiritual observances.

Regional Variations: A Pan-Indian Celebration

Makar Sankranti is celebrated throughout India, but each region brings its own unique name, flavor, and traditions to the day.

Uttar Pradesh – Khichdi Sankranti

In Uttar Pradesh, Makar Sankranti is often referred to as Khichdi Parv, because of the tradition of eating and donating khichdi, a simple dish made of rice and lentils. Devotees take a holy dip in the Ganga, Yamuna, and other sacred rivers, especially at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, which is considered immensely purifying. This marks the beginning of the grand Magh Mela, a month-long spiritual gathering. Pilgrims believe that bathing in the Ganga on this day absolves them of sins and brings divine blessings.

Punjab – Lohri and Maghi

In Punjab, the celebrations begin on Lohri, the night before Makar Sankranti, with dancing, singing, and the lighting of bonfires. This tradition celebrates the harvest of sugarcane and rabi crops. On Makar Sankranti, known as Maghi, people bathe in rivers and eat traditional foods like makki di roti and sarson da saag. They also enjoy sweets made from jaggery and sesame seeds, and exchange greetings of warmth and joy.

Gujarat – Uttarayan

Perhaps one of the most exuberant celebrations takes place in Gujarat, where Makar Sankranti is known as Uttarayan. The sky turns into a colorful canvas as people fly kites from their rooftops, engaging in spirited contests. Kite flying here is symbolic of reaching toward the divine, and it also serves as a fun, physical way to enjoy the sun after the long winter. The International Kite Festival held in Ahmedabad draws participants from around the globe.

Sweets made from til (sesame) and gur (jaggery) are exchanged with the words, “Til-gul ghya, god god bola”, which means “Take these sesame-jaggery sweets and speak sweetly.”

Maharashtra – Tilgul and Haldi Kumkum

In Maharashtra, the festival is celebrated with the exchange of tilgul laddoos and sweets. Women invite each other for haldi-kumkum ceremonies, where turmeric and vermillion are applied as symbols of auspiciousness and married bliss. This is also a time of strengthening bonds and starting the year with reconciliation and goodwill.

People wear new clothes, and children chant "til gul ghya, god god bola," fostering warmth in social relationships. Married women often receive special gifts known as sankrantachi vaan from their in-laws, comprising cosmetics, utensils, and sweets.

Tamil Nadu – Pongal

In Tamil Nadu, Makar Sankranti marks the second day of the four-day Pongal festival, a grand harvest celebration. The day is dedicated to Surya Pongal, when devotees offer cooked rice and jaggery to the Sun God. The dish called Pongal, made by boiling rice with milk and jaggery in earthen pots, is allowed to overflow in a symbolic act of abundance.

People decorate their homes with kolams (rangoli), wear traditional attire, and gather as families to rejoice in the prosperity of the harvest. Pongal is both a religious and social event, emphasizing gratitude and unity.

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana – Pedda Panduga

In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Pedda Panduga, the "big festival." The celebrations typically span four days—Bhogi, Sankranti, Kanuma, and Mukkanuma—each with its own significance. Bhogi involves discarding old belongings in a bonfire, symbolizing renewal. On Sankranti day, people decorate bulls and cows, prepare festive meals, and offer prayers.

Rangoli (Muggulu) designs decorate courtyards, and kids often go house-to-house singing traditional songs and collecting small gifts. This multi-day event strengthens familial and community ties.

West Bengal – Poush Sankranti

In West Bengal, Makar Sankranti is known as Poush Sankranti, named after the Bengali month of Poush. Special sweets called Pithey, made of rice flour, coconut, and jaggery, are prepared and enjoyed with great enthusiasm. The festival also includes the grand Ganga Sagar Mela, where thousands of devotees converge at the confluence of the Ganga and the Bay of Bengal for a holy dip.

Karnataka – Ellu Bella Tradition

In Karnataka, people observe the tradition of exchanging ellu-bella—a mix of sesame seeds, jaggery, coconut, and peanuts—symbolizing sweetness and unity despite differences. The greeting “Ellu bella thindu olle maathadi,” meaning “Eat this mixture and speak only good,” underlines the festival’s message of kindness and reconciliation.

Children engage in kite flying, rural sports, and visiting relatives, while homes are adorned with rangoli patterns and mango leaf torans.

Assam – Magh Bihu

In Assam, the festival is celebrated as Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu, marking the end of the harvest season. The night before Sankranti, people build makeshift huts from bamboo, leaves, and straw called Meji, in which they spend the night feasting. The next morning, these huts are set ablaze in a ritual fire meant to honor the harvest and nature.

Families cook elaborate meals with rice cakes called pithas, fish, and sesame sweets, and the mood is festive with games, dances, and community bonding.

Odisha – Makar Mela and Makara Chaula

In Odisha, people observe Makar Sankranti with rituals such as Makar Chaula, a dish made with freshly harvested rice, jaggery, banana, grated coconut, and milk. The famous Makar Mela is celebrated in various temples like Jagannath Temple in Puri and Dhabaleswar Temple, where devotees take holy dips in rivers and offer food to deities.

Cattle are also decorated and worshipped, recognizing their role in agriculture. This mixture of spiritual devotion and agrarian gratitude defines the local flavor of the festival.

Rituals and Symbolism

The rituals associated with Makar Sankranti are both symbolic and deeply cultural. Holy baths in rivers like the Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri are believed to purify the soul and eliminate sins. People offer Surya Arghya, or water to the Sun God, as a mark of respect and to invoke blessings.

Charity and almsgiving are significant components. It is customary to donate food, clothes, and money to the poor, Brahmins, and temples. This act of daan (charity) is considered highly meritorious on this day, believed to ensure prosperity and spiritual growth.

Special dishes made of til (sesame seeds) and gur (jaggery)—both warming foods in Ayurveda—are consumed to protect the body against winter ailments and balance body energies. The combination is also symbolic of unity and harmony, representing how people with different temperaments and qualities can come together and live sweetly.

Kite Flying: A Ritual and Recreation

In many parts of India, particularly in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, kite flying is more than just fun—it's a symbolic act of welcoming the new season and reaching toward the divine. It is also believed that basking under the early morning sun during kite flying helps the body absorb Vitamin D, boosting immunity after the winter season.

Skies are dotted with vibrant kites, and rooftop parties include music, food, and friendly competitions, creating a festive atmosphere that engages every age group.

Conclusion: A Celebration of Transition and Togetherness

Makar Sankranti, though rooted in the movement of celestial bodies, transcends the astronomical and becomes a rich tapestry of cultural, spiritual, and social traditions. It bridges the past and the present, the divine and the mundane, the individual and the community. At its heart, it is a festival of gratitude, renewal, unity, and positivity.

As the sun turns its course northward, bringing with it longer days and the promise of spring, Makar Sankranti invites people to embrace the changing seasons, let go of past negativity, and begin anew. From the snowy Himalayan foothills to the tropical coasts of Tamil Nadu, the festival unites a vast and diverse nation in the shared joy of harvest, light, and divine blessings.

Photo from: Freepik

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