Makar Sankranti 2024: When is Makar Sankranti? Know its significance and how it's celebrated across India

Makar Sankranti, also known as Sankranti or Maghi, is a festival celebrated in various parts of India. It marks the transition of the sun into the zodiac sign of Capricorn or Makar on its celestial path.

When will Makar Sankranti be celebrated this year?

This year the festival is being celebrated on January 15th. In many regions, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as a harvest festival, marking the end of the winter harvesting season and the beginning of longer days.
Makar Sankranti holds cultural and religious significance. It is a time for family gatherings, social events, and expressing gratitude for the abundance of nature. Many people also engage in charitable activities during Makar Sankranti, such as donating food, clothes, or participating in community service.

How is Makar Sankranti celebrated across different parts of India?

The festival is celebrated with different names and customs in various parts of India. In South India, it is known as Pongal, while in some parts of North India and Gujarat, it is called Uttarayan or Maghi. In Assam it is celebrated as Magh Bihu.

Pongal: Pongal is celebrated mostly in Tamil Nadu, marking the harvest season's abundance. The festival involves the preparation of a special dish, also called Pongal, made with newly harvested rice, milk, jaggery, and various flavorful ingredients.

Uttarayan: Uttarayan is a vibrant kite-flying festival celebrated in Gujarat. People of all ages gather on rooftops and open areas to fly kites. Special kite flying competitions are organized during this festival.

Lohri: Lohri is celebrated a day before Makar Sankranti. It is mostly celebrated in North India and is celebrated as a harvest festival. Bonfires are lit and people dance and sing around it along with the beats of dhol.

Magh Bihu: Magh Bihu, also known as Bhogali Bihu, is celebrated in the Indian state of Assam. Traditional Assamese foods like various types of pitha (rice cakes), larus (sweetmeats), and a variety of locally grown crops are central to the celebrations during Magh Bihu.

Poush Parbon: In West Bengal it is celebrated as 'Poush Parbon' with preparation and consumption of various traditional Bengali sweets known as Pithe. These sweets are made from ingredients like rice flour, jaggery, coconut, and khoya.

In many other regions of India, Makar Sankranti is celebrated with great fervour, food and fun activities like melas and folk/cultural performances.

Also watch: Lohri 2024: When is Lohri this year? Know its significance and how it's celebrated