Makar Sankranti is one of the famous festivals in India that almost every Hindu celebrates with great pump. As we know Sankranti is generally a solar event and this happens in the middle of every month. The Sankranti usually happen on 13th, 14th or 15th of every month and the planet Sun enters from one zodiac sign to another.
Makar Sankranti – 14th January 2021
Although all the Sankranti are the solar event, Makar Sankranti is regarded as highly special. The celebration of Makar Sankranti is going to take place on 14th January 2021 next year. Almost all the Hindu origin people in India do celebrate. It is synonymously also called Kite festival. This auspicious day has a great spiritual and astrological significance. It is such a popular festival many people call it as just Sankranti.
Why Makar Sankranti is Important
It is obvious that day on which the Makar Sankranti happens is a solar event. On this occasion the Sun enters into the Capricorn Zodiac sign which is called Makar Rashi in Hindi. It has a great significance in Hindu astrology.
We have not seen any God yet. However, the planet Sun is the only Hindu God whom we see spectacularly. We have also seen Moon and Venus in the naked eyes. However, the visibility of the Sun is more phenomenal. Hence, the festival pertaining to Sun is considered extremely important. One of the most significant festival is Chhath Puja when the people worship the Sun God in North and NE India.
There are ample of religious and traditional significance of the sacred festival Makar Sankranti. According to Hindu mythology, it is believed that the Sun (Surya Dev) pays visit on this day to his Son Shani Dev (Saturn) who is the lord of the Capricorn zodiac sign (Makar Rashi) according to both Hindu and Western astrology.
Hence, the festival denotes the mutual bonding between father and son. On this phenomenal occasion we should learn how the love of father towards a son is unfathomable.
Also, there is another belief that the Lord Vishnu triumphed over the demons on this day of Makar Sankranti. The sacred story says that on this day Lord Vishnu beheaded the demons and buried under the Mandara Parvat that signifies the victory of justice over injustice.
Makar Sankranti – The Harvest festival
The Makar Sankranti is also called the harvest festival in India. The festival is celebrated with different names in different states.
There are innumerable ways to celebrate this festival that is followed by different culture, people, custom and tradition.
The festival has a close connection with agriculture and harvesting. Hence, it has a connectivity with farmers, foods and grains. The month of January or during the Makar Sankranti, it is the commencement of the Rabi corps and the people would put their effort in the agriculture and cultivation. Hence, it is the time to get together and take care of the cattle those have active participation in the Rabi corps.
This festival is called Lohri in Punjab and other part of the North India by both Sikhs and Hindu people. While same festival is called Sukarat in central India and Magh Bihu by Hindus belongs to Assam and Pongal by the Hindu people residing in Tamil Nadu.
Date of Makar Sankranti
It widely known by the people that the occasion of this holy festival occurs on the same day of every year. This usually happens on 14th of January every year with little exception on 13th January. The festival is set by Solar cycle of the Indian lunisolar calendar. This day also signalizes the arrival of the longer span of the day.
The Makar Sankranti occurs in the Lunar month of Magha according to the Hindus and in the January according solar calendar. It also indicates the end of the winter solstice.
Makar Sankranti and it Synonyms or regional variations
The Makar Sankranti is celebrated across India with different name. The different cultures and customs have different ways and means to celebrate the festival.
Andhar Pradesh, Telengana and Kerala – Makar Sankranthi
Karnataka – Makar Sankramana, Makar Sankranthi, Suggi Habba
Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Jammu, Goa, Chhatishgarh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Rajasthan, Tripura, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh – Makar Sankranti
Tamil Nadu – Thai Pongal, Uzhavar, Thirunal
Gujarat – Uttarayan
Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh – Maghi
Similarly, the Makar Sankranti is known as Maghe Sankranti in Nepal, Shakrain/Poush Sangkranti in Bangladesh and Tirmoori in Pakistan (Sindh)
Celebration of Makara Sankranti across different states
There are many fun, fair or Mela takes place across different states in India. The fair that happens in Odisha is called Makar Mela, Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh, Gangasagar Mela that takes place where the river Ganga has flown to the Bay of Bengal. Poush Mela is celebration that takes place in the Shantiniketan in West Bengal.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
The festival Makar Sankranti is celebrated for 4 days in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. This celebrated as Day 1 – Bhogi, Day 2 – Makar Sankranti the principal festival of the day, Day 3 – Kanuma, Day 4 – Mukknuma
The first day of festival is called Bhogi in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana that takes place just before Makar Sankranti
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