Also known as: Sankranti, Uttarayan, Maghi, Magh Bihu, Khichdi, Pedda Panduga · Observed: Across India
Significance of Makar Sankranti
Makar Sankranti marks the day the Sun enters the sidereal sign of Makara (Capricorn). It is one of the very few major Hindu festivals fixed by the solar calendar, and it is celebrated across the whole of India under many names. Traditionally it marks the beginning of Uttarayana, the Sun's northward journey, considered the auspicious half of the year; in astronomical terms the northward turn begins at the winter solstice, while the festival marks the sidereal transit that follows some weeks later. It is also a harvest festival, coming as the winter crops are gathered.
Sankranti is a day of gratitude to the Sun, to the land and to the cattle that help in farming, and of reconciliation, as captured in the Marathi greeting 'tilgul ghya, god god bola', take sesame and jaggery and speak sweetly.
Legends and Traditions
In the Mahabharata, Bhishma, lying on a bed of arrows, chose to wait for Uttarayana before leaving his body, since death in this period was believed to lead to liberation. The Puranas also say that on this day the Ganga, led by King Bhagiratha, reached the sea at the ashram of the sage Kapila and liberated the souls of Bhagiratha's ancestors. This is commemorated at the Gangasagar Mela on Sagar Island, where lakhs of pilgrims bathe at the confluence. Surya is said to visit his son Shani, lord of Makara, on this day, a symbol of reconciliation between father and son.
Regional Celebrations
In Gujarat, Uttarayan is the great kite festival, with rooftops full of kite flyers from dawn to night. In Maharashtra, people exchange tilgul and women hold haldi-kumkum gatherings. In Punjab, Lohri is celebrated with bonfires on the eve, followed by Maghi. In Assam, Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu features community feasts and bonfires called meji. In Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the day is called Khichdi, and people bathe in the Ganga and donate rice, lentils and sesame; the Magh Mela at Prayagraj begins.
In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Sankranti, the Pedda Panduga or big festival, lasts three to four days: Bhogi, with bonfires of old items, Sankranti with muggulu, haridasu singers and gangireddu (decorated bulls), Kanuma for cattle, and Mukkanuma. In Karnataka, families exchange ellu-bella, a mix of sesame, jaggery, coconut and groundnut, and cattle are made to jump over fire in the custom of kichchu haayisuvudu. Tamil Nadu celebrates the same event as Pongal.
How the Date Is Determined
Makar Sankranti is the day of the Sun's entry into sidereal Makara, calculated with the sidereal (nirayana) zodiac used in Indian astronomy. The punya kala, the meritorious period for bathing and charity, is reckoned around the moment of transit. If the Sun enters Makara after sunset, the observance moves to the following day. Because of the slow precession of the equinoxes, the Gregorian date of Sankranti has drifted later over centuries, and it now usually falls in the middle of January.
Rituals and customs
- Holy bath at dawn, especially at Gangasagar and Prayagraj
- Offering arghya to the Sun
- Charity of sesame, jaggery, rice and blankets
- Exchanging tilgul or ellu-bella sweets
- Kite flying in Gujarat and elsewhere
- Bonfires on the eve and worship of cattle