The auspicious festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated across India with lots of pleasure and splendour. Makar Sankranti is one of the most important festivals of Hindus that denotes the commencement of the Sun’s northward journey and is also called as Uttarayan which means - Sun enters Makar.
Most Hindu festivals fall according to the position of the moon i.e. according to the lunar calendar but the festival of Makar Sankranti follows the position of the sun i.e. the solar calendar . That is why every year, it falls on the same date- 14 January and In 2021, it is going to be celebrated on Thursday, 14 January.
This festival is celebrated as a harvest festival in India that also marks the movement of the sun from the Sagittarius to the Capricorn. The subsequent period of six months, with the commencement of Uttarayan, is believed to be extremely auspicious as the day-time during this period belongs to the Gods. It is also called the solstice festival whence the days begin to be longer and the nights become shorter.
The belief of Makar Sankranti
According to one of the stories by legends, on this special day, Lord Sun meets his son Sani for the first time. Another story states that on the day of Makar Sankranti Lord Krishna demolished the terror of Ashuras/devils. Hence this period symbolizes the beginning of a peaceful new era. In different regions of India, this festival is known by different regional names and the festivities are performed with varied rites and rituals amidst fun and merriment.
Makar Sankranti is known for:
Uttarayan in Gujarat
In Gujrat, Makar Sankranti is observed as Uttarayan, which is also known as International Kite Festival in Gujarat. On this day, the sky is filled with millions of colourful kites and these colours give a feeling of pleasure and fun to the people of Gujrat.
Magh Bihu in Assam
Magh Bihu is an auspicious harvest festival that is celebrated in Assam. The spotlight of this festival is the food which is made from the grains after the harvest. The night right before 'Magh Bihu', is called 'Uruka' which means the night of feasts. On this auspicious day, the villagers make bamboo huts called 'Bhela ghar' which is used as a community feast hall, where they begin with the preparations for the festival.
In 2021, Magh Bihu will be celebrated in Assam on Friday - 15th January
Pongal in Tamil Nadu
Pongal celebrations date a way back to at least 2,000 years. It is a day to thank the Sun God for helping in growing crops by providing energy for its growth as the farmers’ livelihood depends on it. Pongal is also the name of the main dish made for this festival. In 2021, Pongal will begin on Thursday - 14th January and will end on Sunday - 17th January.
Lohri in Haryana and Punjab
Lohri is one of the most awaited festivals in Haryana and Punjab. It is a famous bonfire festival as it is believed that the flames of the bonfire lit on this day carry the messages and prayers of the people to the sun god to bring warmth to the planet to help crops grow. In exchange, the sun god blesses the land and ends the days of gloom and cold.
In 2021, Lohri will be celebrated on Wednesday - 13 th January.
There is a lot more to learn about this festival. Also Celebrating Makar Sankranti is incomplete without Makar Sankranti Puja. Find out the preparations for the Makar Sankranti Puja and the rituals followed while performing this Puja, Book online pandit in pune, online pooja booking and pandit booking with the help of PujyaPanditg.
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