MAKAR SANKRANTI

                    MAKAR SANKRANTI

Makar Sankranti or Uttarayan or Maghi or simply Sankranti is considered as the transition day of Sun into the Capricorn. Now the sun moves northwards in the Hindu calendar, dedicated to the deity Surya (sun), many native festivals are organised all over India. 

Due to the addition of one day in leap years, the date of Makar Sankranti may vary a bit. On leap years it falls on 15 January, otherwise on 14 January.

The festivities associated with Makar Sankranti are known by various names Magh Bihu in Assam, Maghi in Punjab, Maghi Saaji in Himachal Pradesh, Maghi Sangrand or Uttarain (Uttarayana) in Jammu, Sakraat in Haryana, Sukarat in central India, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Uttarayan in Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh, Ghughuti in Uttarakhand, Dahi Chura in Bihar, Makara Sankranti in Odisha, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal (also called Poush Sankranti), Uttar Pradesh (also called Khichidi Sankranti), Uttarakhand (called as 'Uttrayni') or as Sankranthi in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana,^[5][6] Maghe Sankranti (Nepal), Songkran (Thailand), Thingyan (Myanmar), Mohan Songkran (Cambodia), and Shishur Saenkraath (Kashmir).

On Makar Sankranti, the Sun god is worshipped along with Lord Vishnu and goddess Lakshmi throughout India.

Makar Sankranti is observed with social festivities such as colourful decorations, rural children going house to house, singing and asking for treats in some areas,^[8] melas (fairs), dances, kite flying, bonfires and feasts.

Every twelve years, the Hindus observe Makar Sankranti with Kumbha Mela – one of the world's largest mass pilgrimage, with an estimated 40 to 100 million people attending the event.

This festival is dedicated to the Hindu religious sun god Surya.This significance of Surya is traceable to the Vedic texts, particularly the Gayatri Mantra, a sacred hymn of Hinduism found in its scripture named the Rigveda.

Bathing in a river in the early hours on Maghi is important. Hindus light lamps with sesame oil as this is supposed to give prosperity and drive away all sins. A major mela is held at Sri Muktsar Sahib on Maghi which commemorates a historical event in Sikh history.

Culturally, people dance their famous "bhangra". They then sit down and eat the sumptuous food that is specially prepared for the occasion. It is traditional to eat "kheer", rice cooked in milk and sugarcane juice. It is also traditional to consume khichdi and jaggery.

Holy Dip By Devotees in river Ganga on occasion of Makar Sankranti