Makar Sankranti is a festival that is celebrated across India. Indians celebrate this festival with different names on the 14th January of every year. Makar Sankranti is a day full of enjoyable activities and traditional food, like kite flying and eating khichdi or dahi-chura. People made foods made with rice, jaggery, sugarcane, sesame seeds, maize, peanuts . On this auspicious day, people consume traditional dishes such as gud kheer, popcorn, undhiyu, and Til Kut.

Makar Sankranti’s History and Significance

Makar Sankranti has many historical moments associated, especially in light of how important agriculture is to the nation. This time of year leads to warmer and more fortunate times to come as it represents the start of the sun’s journey northward.
To put it in simple words, it is the time of the arrangement of the earth’s dial around the sun and this movement brings about a new change in the way we experience the planet itself. There are 12 Sankranti the whole year, the two significant ones are Makar Sankranti, and right opposite Karka Sankranti. Every time the zodiac sign changes, it is called Sankranti. The solstice, or the day when the planet reaches its maximum tilt or movement concerning the sun, occurred on December 22. The movement to the north is now very strong as of today. On Earth, things begin to change. From Makar Sankranti onwards, winter starts to relieve itself step by step.
In Hinduism, people believe that any person who dies during this period gets salvation from the cycle of death and birth.
This festival is also celebrated as the day of triumph of good over evil as Lord Vishnu defeated the demon Sankarasura on this auspicious day.

How People Celebrate Makar Sankranti in Different Parts of the Nation

This day is celebrated with different arrangements and names in various areas. In certain parts of the nation, it lasts for 2-4 days. From the lighting of the bonfire to the preparation of rice and sugarcane dishes, there is participation in music and dance. Many rituals are also common among many cultures.

In Punjab, a bonfire is there to beat the cold and mark the Lohri celebrations. Here friends and relatives come together to exchange gifts and enjoy traditional edibles. This includes gajak ( a sweet made with jaggery and peanuts and sesame seeds), peanuts, revdi (jaggery and sesame candy), and popcorn. The Punjabi community performs their folk dance bhangra and Giddha and sings folk songs.

While in the parts of Gujarat, there is tradition of Kite-flying on this day with the name of Uttarayan. The Gujarati community wears bright colour combination clothes on this day. People enjoy their terraces and participate in Kite-flying competitions. The sky seems like a huge canvas painting of colourful kites. They also perform Garba, the traditional dance form of Gujarat on this day.

South Indians celebrated this day with the name of Pongal. They enjoy this festival for four days where residents clean their homes and decorate them. They create traditional designs on the surface. Rice-powder kolam-based artworks are everywhere in the Southern part of India at this time. In addition to this, they burn unwanted things from the house in the bonfire for the abundance and prosperity of the home.

In Maharashtra,  People celebrate Makar Sankranti by exchanging tilgul(sesame and jaggery).People across the nation came to take a dip in the holy rivers Ganga and Yamuna to celebrate this day.

Final Takeaway!

However, around the nation, there are numerous customs and festivities in observance of this lovely harvest festival, which heralds the arrival of longer, brighter days.
There are many other religious functions and festivals in India throughout the year. But, the main motto of all is the same. Celebrations bring communities together, fostering a sense of belonging and unity. Thus, they provide opportunities for social interaction and strengthen communal bonds.

Author: mayank

Mayank Firani is a dedicated blog writer with expertise in crafting compelling content across various niches.