Makar Sankranti (Sankramana, Pongal, Uttarayan)
Makar Sankranti (Sankramana, Pongal, Uttarayan)
Makar Sankranti, also known as Sankramana, Pongal, or Uttarayan, is a Hindu harvest festival marking the Sun’s transition into Capricorn, symbolizing longer days.
It celebrates prosperity, gratitude for harvests, and the start of auspicious times across India.
Makar Sankranti is a joyous festival celebrating the Sun’s northward journey and the harvest season’s bounty.
It is a time for thanksgiving, kite-flying, feasts, and festive traditions across India.
Rituals & Traditions of Makar Sankranti
Makar Sankranti is celebrated with great devotion and cultural joy across India, and its rituals carry deep spiritual meaning. People wake up early and take a holy dip in sacred rivers like the Ganga, Yamuna, and Godavari, as it is believed to cleanse sins and bring blessings. Devotees worship Surya Dev (the Sun God), offering water, prayers, and gratitude for life and prosperity. Charity and giving (daan) are highly emphasized, with people donating sesame seeds, jaggery, grains, clothes, and other essentials to the needy, symbolizing the virtue of sharing warmth and kindness in winter.
A popular tradition is preparing sesame and jaggery sweets (tilgul, chikki, laddoos), which signify harmony and sweetness in relationships. In different regions, special customs are observed—Pongal is celebrated in Tamil Nadu by boiling the first rice of the harvest in milk, Lohri in Punjab with bonfires, music, and dance, and Uttarayan in Gujarat with vibrant kite flying, symbolizing freedom and joy. Many households cook khichdi as a simple, pure offering. Rituals also include decorating homes with rangoli, worshipping cows, and wearing traditional attire, making the festival a vibrant mix of devotion, gratitude, and celebration of nature’s bounty.
Spiritual Importance & Cultural Significance
Makar Sankranti is considered a highly auspicious day in Hindu tradition as it marks the Uttarayan, the Sun’s northward journey, which is believed to be a spiritually uplifting period. Scriptures like the Mahabharata state that Bhishma Pitamah chose this time to attain moksha, showing its spiritual significance for liberation and blessings. The day is ideal for charity (daan), meditation, and selfless acts, symbolizing purification of the soul and renewal of positive energy. Offering prayers to Surya Dev and taking holy dips in sacred rivers are believed to wash away sins, while sesame seeds and jaggery offered to deities represent warmth and the power to overcome negativity during winter.
Food & Sweets & Modern Celebrations
Makar Sankranti is known for its traditional delicacies made with sesame (til) and jaggery (gur), symbolizing warmth and togetherness during winter. Popular treats like tilgul laddoos, chikkis, pongal, khichdi, and gajak are prepared and shared among family and friends with the saying, “Tilgul ghya, god god bola” (accept this sweet and speak sweetly). In South India, the dish Pongal is prepared by boiling freshly harvested rice in milk, while in North India, khichdi is a ritual offering and a simple, sattvic meal. These foods are rich in nutrients, providing warmth and energy during the cold season,
In modern times, Makar Sankranti has become both a spiritual and social celebration. Cities and villages come alive with kite festivals, especially in Gujarat, where the skies are filled with vibrant colors, symbolizing freedom and joy. Communities gather for bonfires, cultural programs, fairs, and dances, celebrating regional traditions. Social media and local events spread awareness about the festival’s heritage, while families continue age-old customs like exchanging sweets and gifts. The day also encourages acts of charity, community feasts, and environmental awareness,
