Makara Sankranti 2024
One of the splendidly celebrated festivals in India, Makar Sankranti is an Indian festival that marks the end of winter solstice and the transition of the sun from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere. People celebrate the Sun’s transit from the Dhanu rashi to the Makara Rashi (zodiac sign Capricorn), by paying their respects to the Sun God and offering prayers for a good harvest season. Though with contrasting names and festivities in different regions, India will come together to celebrate this auspicious festival.
When is Makar Sankranti celebrated? Astronomy behind Makar Sankranti
Makar Sankranti is celebrated in the Hindu calendar (lunar) month of Magh. However, unlike other Hindu festival dates which vary every year, Makar Sankranti falls on the 14th or 15th of January every year. This is because the festival is based on the Solar Calendar, not the Luni-Solar Calendar (Hindu Calendar). Since Sankranti is a solar event, the festival will generally occur on the same day, the 14th of January, every year. However, sometimes the Sun enters Makara Rashi (Zodiac/Constellation) after sunset in India on the 14th, and so the festival is celebrated on the 15th of January in those years to mark the entry of the Sun into the sign of Capricorn (Makara). This also marks the inception of the holy phase of Uttarayana which is considered the best time for attaining ‘mukti’.
One legend from the Epic of Mahabharata tells us the story of Bhishma waiting for Uttarayan to breathe his last. Bhishma, was fatally wounded in the war of Mahabharata with arrows piercing his entire body. He waited for Fifty-One nights on this bed of arrows, before succumbing. He waited for the auspicious day of Uttarayan to set in before breathing his last so that he can attain Mukti from this cycle of rebirth.
What does Punya Kaal mean?
In Sanskrit, “Punya” means Holy, Virtue, or Sacred and “Kaal” means Time, put together, the meaning of “Punyakaal” is “Sacred-Time”. When the Sun transits from one rashi (zodiac) to another, for a brief period, it appears to be in both Rashis. This period is called Punya kaal, a time which is considered very auspicious since everyone can reap the benefits of both rashis, and the activities such as taking a bath, Surya puja, daan (donations and charities) etc. must be done during this time. According to ‘Muhurt Chintamani’, the Punya kaal of Makara Sankranti is calculated as 16 Ghatis, (about 6 Hours and 24 Minutes) from the Sankranti Moment, or the time from the next Sunrise in the event where the Sankranti Moment happens after the Sunset. Makar sankranti punya kaal is considered the most auspicious as it also marks the beginning of Uttarayana (summer solstice).
Narad Puran and Muhurt Chintamani mention the Punyakaal as 16 Ghati (6 Hours and 24 Minutes).
However, Sangrah Shiromani and Brihad Jyotish Saar mention the Punyakaal for Makara Sankranti as 40 Ghati (16 Hours). But since Punyakaal is marked only during the daytime, it is usually observed from sunrise to sunset of the Sankranti day.
Additionally, the latter books also mention Atipunyatam Punyakaal (Maha Punyakaal) as 5 Ghati (2 Hours) from sunrise.
Makar Sankranti celebrations in different states of India
Makar Sankranti is widely observed in different states of the country in different names with a unique touch of their culture to their festivities. The festival is celebrated in each state as follows:
Maharashtra: Makar Sankranti is a bookmarked festival and a special day for women in Maharashtra. Maharashtrians prepare Tilgudi Til laddus and Til Polis, their specialty, and exchange them among friends and family. They greet each other saying “Til gul ghya god god bola” (accept these tilguds and speak sweet words).
Gujarat: In Gujarat, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Uttarayan. According to the Gujarati calendar, it falls on the Vad Satam of Posh. Their celebration of festivities is much similar to that of Maharashtra, where they prepare sweets to exchange them among relatives and friends, and fly kites. The elderly of the family gift presents to the young. Sankranti heralds the dawn of spring in Gujarat.
Uttar Pradesh: In Uttar Pradesh, the festival goes by the name Khichdi, or Kitcheri. As part of their festivities, a Kumbh Mela is set for a whole month at Prayag, confluence of the rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati, where people bathe.
Punjab: People of Punjab observe this festival as Maghi. Celebrated during the peak of winter, they lit bonfires on the eve of Sankranti (Lohri) and dance around the Lohri fire. They celebrate the bountiful harvest reaped in this festival, with traditional bhangra dance and feasts.
Tamil Nadu: In Tamil Nadu, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as the festival of Pongal. Bonfires are lit on Pongal eve, Bhagi, and old possessions are cast into it. On the day of Pongal, people, especially women chant ‘Pongalo Pongal’ as they boil rice in a pot of milk sweetened with jaggery. Pongal is a four day festival and according to the Tamil Calendar, the celebrations will start from January 14 with Bhogi Pongal and end with Kaanum Pongal on January 17.
West Bengal: In West Bengal, Makar Sankranti falls on the last day of the month of Paush. The Hindus take a holy dip at the Millat Ganga Sagar (Ganga Sagar Snan) in the Ganges which is believed to have enlivened the ashes of 60,000 ancestors of Bhagirat.
Odisha: The Bhuyan tribe of Odisha light bonfires, dance and feast to celebrate Makar Sankranti, that marks their new year. They hold processions called Maghyatra, and also place home made articles for sale.
Madhya Pradesh: People of Madhya Pradesh (Bundelkhand) celebrate Makar Sankranti as ‘Sukarat’ (Sakarat). They celebrate the festival with much pomp and splendor, and greet each other good luck and fortune.
Kerala: Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Makara Vilakku in Kerala. People from all over South India throng Sabarimala to witness the Makara Jyoti. Swami Ayyappa, the deity of Sabarimala is worshiped and devotees offer food.
Assam: In Assam, the Sankranti festival is celebrated as Maagh Bihu which heralds the end of harvesting period, and people of Assam feast on the produce from their lands. It is also called Bhoghaali Bihu, or the Festival of Food.
Karnataka: Makar Sankranti celebrated as Suggi in Karnataka is a festival of farmers. They offer delicacies made of sesame mixed with groundnuts and coconuts sweetened with jaggery, a ritual known as the Ellu Birodhu.
Andhra Pradesh: Makar Sankranti is an important affair for farmers observed as a three-day festival. People cast old items into bonfire (Bhogi), decorate house entrances with rangoli designs, chant prayers and greet each other. According to the Telugu Calendar, it will be celebrated on the Krishna Sapthami of Pausa.
Bihar: The festivities of Makar Sankranti in Bihar, celebrated as Sakaarat or Kichdi, are a lot similar to the festivities in Uttar Pradesh. The devotees bathe in the holy waters of the Ganges. They also host a month-long Kumbh Mela.
Tripura: Tripura celebrates Sankranti as Hangrai, earlier introduced as a festival to celebrate the immersing of the remnants of the ancestors in the holy river Gumti. A grand festival, people prepare Tripura cakes, dishes and drinks and host feasts for friends and relatives.
Rajasthan: Makar Sankranti is one of the prominent festivals in Rajasthan and is referred to as “Sakraat” locally. During this special occasion, the skies above the Pink City, Jaipur, like the other regions in Western India, are adorned with colourful kites. Additional rituals in Rajasthan include preparing and exchanging homemade sweets, participating in a lavish feast known as “Sakraat Bhoj,” and the tradition of women exchanging household or makeup articles as a gesture of shared joy and harmony.
