Vedic significance of Makara Sankranti

Please note: This article was scheduled for our Realshepower India website. Due to technical reasons, the site is temporarily out of service compelling us to proceed with its publication here. The piece is written by an Indian explaining the significance of an Indian festival culturally and scientifically.

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Makar Sankranti is a Hindu festival celebrated across India with different names but the same spirit of joy, and togetherness. One can find it's presence in the Hindu epic of Mahabharata dated 8th century BC where Bhishma declares his intention to leave his body on the auspicious day of Sankranti. It is said, on this day Sun-God visits the house of his son Shani. Legend has it that the father and the son do not see eye to eye, but on the day of Makar Sankranti, the father visits his son's house demonstrating the importance of family and relationships.

The word 'Sankranti' literally means 'movement'. Hence, the festival precisely denotes the movement of the Sun into Makar (Capricorn) zodiac. This is one of the oldest solstice festivals with an equal duration of day and night.

Let us see how the festival is celebrated in different states of India

- Karnataka

A Shobha Yatra (graceful procession) is carried out in Karnataka where one can see people greeting each other with joy, taking sugarcane & dry coconut. Farmers of Chamarajanagar celebrate by jumping over fires along with their decorated bulls.

- Punjab

Lohri is one of the most popular festivals celebrated by the Punjabi people. Traditionally associated with the harvest of the rabi crop, people celebrate Lohri with feasting, exchange of gifts, and songs and dance around bonfires. Women perform 'kikli' (twirling in a circular motion by girls)

- Assam

In Assam, Makar Sankranti is known as Bhogali Bihu. Women dance Bihu and Villagers participate in community fishing during the Bhogali Bihu celebration at Goroimari Lake in Panbari village, Guwahati.

- Tamil Nadu

Pongal/Uzhavar Thirunal in TamilNadu. Uzhavar in Tamil means the farmer and Thirunal mean the festival. Pongal is popularly known as Uzhavar Thirunal acknowledged as a way to thank and honour livelihood of farmers. It's a 4-day festival.

- Telangana & Andhrapradesh

Women cook Pongal, a sweet dish made from rice from the first harvest, as an offering to the Sun God. Members of the Gangireddulu nomadic tribe sing songs along with Haridasus visiting each home.

- West Bengal

Known as Poush Parbon in West Bengal. Here, people begin the celebration by taking a dip in the holy Ganges to purify themselves. Later, they eat fresh harvest rice. Santhal women perform a dance. It is the last day of the Hindu month of Poush and marks the beginning of Magha.

- Kashmir Valley

Celebrated by the name of Shishur Saenkraat, the holy occasion is marked by ceremonial bathing in the sacred rivers or streams. In each and every house of Jammu and Kashmir Havan or Yagnas are performed. This indicates the driving away of the evil spirits and welcoming of the good ones.

- Gujarat

Gujaratis believe Uttarayan marks the day when winter begins to turn into summer. It is the sign for farmers that the sun is back and that harvest season is approaching which is called Mahasankranti.

- Odisha

In Odisha, any festival is first to be celebrated at Puri in Jagannath Temple. Makar Sankranti is observed as Uttarayana Yatra of Lord Jagannath with lots of love, devotion and infinite faith, people offer a special kind of newly harvested rice.

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Written by @Indianbackdrop