Why Do We Celebrate Makar Sankranti?

Sankranti is a Hindu festival celebrated in various locations of India, like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala. People worship the sun God during this festival. This festival marks the sun’s transition from one zodiac sign to another (From Saggitarius to Capricorn).

Sankranti is also known as Makar Sankranti because of the transition. The term “Makar” derives from the Sanskrit word called crocodile, while Sankranti means transition.

Makar Sankranti is usually celebrated on January 14 every year. During this festival, Hindus celebrate the end of the harvest season and express their gratitude for the abundance of food and other blessings they have received. It is also a festival to let go of the past and embrace renewal, forgiveness, and the future with hope.

Three Day Festival

Sankranti, popularly known as Pongal, is celebrated for three days:

• Bhogi
• Makar Sankranti
• Kanuma

People follow specific cultural traditions based on their region.

Why Makar Sankranti Is An Important Festival For Hindus

There are various reasons to consider Makar Sankranti as an important Hindu festival.

Harvest Festival

Hindus celebrate Sankranti as the end of the harvest season and give thanks for the abundance of food and other blessings they have received.

Renewal

From this festival, Hindus believe in starting a new beginning and embracing the future with hope and optimism.

Forgiveness

Hindus often use this festival as an opportunity to seek forgiveness from those they may have wronged and to extend forgiveness to others.

Time For Family and Community

Sankranti is a time for Hindus to come together with their families and communities and to celebrate the bonds of love and connection that bring them together.

Cultural Traditions

People participate in various traditional cultural activities, such as decorating their homes with rangoli, preparing special foods, and participating in religious rituals.

Short Story On Makar Sankranti

A short story often heard regarding the Sankranti festival is mentioned below.

It is said that the sun god, Surya Bhagwan, was once lost in the darkness of the winter solstice. Due to that, Surya could not find his way back to the sky.

People on earth could not do anything since the sun was not visible. They started praying for Surya Bhagwan. As Surya strolled the earth, he saw a group of people who were praying for his return. The sun god was touched by their devotion and granted their wish to return to the sky. Surya brought warmth and light with him.

From then, it is considered that Sankranti is a celebration of the sun’s return to the northern hemisphere after the winter solstice. Till now, Makar Sankranti has been celebrated every year by the people of various states. People offer their prayers to the sun god and celebrate the spring arrival.

Makar Sankranti or Pongal is celebrated with utmost enthusiasm and joy, with people participating in several traditional activities such as decorating homes with rangoli, flying kites, exchanging sweets and gifts, and participating in bonfires and feasts. It is a time of renewal and hope and a reminder of the enduring power of faith and devotion.

Importance of Bhogi & Kanuma

Bhogi is celebrated a day before Makar Sankranti. On this day, people clean and decorate their homes. They discard old and unused household items and burn them on a bonfire. It indicates that “we let go of the old and welcome the new in our lives.”

Ladies put rangoli in front of their homes. Everyone celebrates the bonfire early in the morning with music, dance, and other activities. It is trusted that burning the old items on Bhogi brings good luck to the family.

The importance of the Bhogi festival is to thank nature for providing the harvest and to cleanse and prepare oneself for the new beginning. Bhogi is also celebrated to respect the God of fire (Agni) for his blessings and to ask for his blessings for the upcoming year.

During Kanuma, people gather to participate in prayers, perform traditional dances, and sing devotional songs. Bulls are decorated with colorful ornaments and flower garlands and are paraded around the village. It is a celebration of the farming community, where they honor and thank their bulls and cows for their hard work in the fields.

In rural areas, people prepare special dishes like “pongali” and “kheer,” a sweet pudding made of rice and milk offered to the cattle. It is also believed that it is a day when people seek blessings for a good harvest in the coming season.