Makar Sankranti 2021
When is Makar Sankranti in 2021? 14 January 2021
Makar Sankranti is celebrated on the 14th of January every year. Unlike most Hindu festivals which are determined as per the altering positions of the Moon and are based on the Lunar Calendar, Makar Sankranti is based on the Solar Calendar. Every year, Makar Sankranti is celebrated to mark the movement of the Sun in the Capricorn or Makar sign. The word ‘Sankranti’ literally means ‘movement’. Hence, the festival precisely denotes the movement of the Sun into the Makar zodiac.
On the day of the Makar Sankranti festival, the duration of the day and that of the night is equally making it one of the oldest solstice festivals. The festival officially marks the onset of spring or Indian summer. Post this day, the Sun stays in for a little longer as compared to the previous days making days longer than nights.
Rituals
It is customary to feast on ‘Til-Gur’ and enjoy a joyous session of kite-flying on Makar Sankranti. ‘Til-Gur’ or sesame and jaggery can be eaten in the form of laddoos or chikkis and is believed to keep the body warm, considering the cold weather during this festival. Makar Sankranti is a festival of shedding the past lead of unpleasant relations and sour memories and moving on with a positive attitude towards others. As per popular beliefs, people consume sweets on Makar Sankranti to induce sweetness in their speech and attitude which helps them tone down the hostility and praise the love and happiness around them. Sweets are also distributed on this festival to celebrate the visit of Lord Surya to meet his son, Lord Shani, keeping aside his anger.
Similarly, kite-flying on the occasion of Makar Sankranti has a significance of its own. In the earlier days, kite flying was usually done in the early hours of the morning just after the sunrise when the sun rays aren’t unbearable. Since the weather is usually quite cold during Makar Sankranti, it was believed that basking a little in the sun while indulging in a joyful session of kite-flying would be a good way to stay warm and away from infections and harmful bacterias. Rollicking in the sun on a warm morning with kites filling the sky with colors seems like quite a good way to celebrate happiness, joy, and ardor.
