B L Razdan
The Hindu calendar is dotted with many festivals based on the Lunar calendar. However, Makar Sankranti, being based on the Solar calendar, is an exception, which in itself is an ode to the Sun God (Surya Devata).
Makar Sankranti – ‘Sankranti’ literally means ‘Movement’ – is a major Hindu festival that marks the Sun’s northward journey, known as Uttarayan. This transition signifies the Sun entering the zodiac sign of Capricorn (Makar), bringing with it longer days and the end of the chilly winter months.
According to the Vedas, the movement of the Sun from one Rashi (constellation of Zodiac) to another marks a Sankranti. Therefore, you could say we have a total of 12 Sankranti in a year, out of which Makar Sankranti, also known as ‘Poush Sankranti,’ is one of the most auspicious Hindu festivals. Once every 12 years, Kumbh Mela, a massive pilgrimage some 50 to 100 million strong, takes place the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna Rivers, on Makar Sankranti day. Millions of people gather to take bath at Prayag at the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna making it the largest pilgrimage in the world.
Makar Sankranti is not only religiously significant but also seasonally important. Since it marks the end of the Winter season, which means its time to get ready to reap the harvest and start preparing for summer crops, making it a significant occasion for farmers as well.
Legend has it that a monstrous demon named Sankarasur, created havoc on Earth, killing people left and right without any mercy. Goddess Sankranti then appeared to save the people from the demon and remind everyone that evil is destined to be destroyed. Another interesting account of Makar Sankranti dates back to the Mahabharat. Bhishma Pitamah, who had the boon to die at his will, decided to leave his mortal body on the day of Makar Sankranti/Uttarayan, and he received Moksha (freedom) from the cycle of death and birth. From there comes this belief that whoever passes away on the day of Makar Sankranti will find a place in heaven and never go through the cycle of birth and death again.
According to the Hindu calendar, Makar Sankranti falls on the first day of the month of Magh. Usually, it is celebrated on the 14th of January every year based on the Gregorian calendar. According to the Drikpanchang, Makar Sankranti falls this year on Tuesday, the 14th January, the auspicious time being from 7:15 a.m. to 5:46 p.m.
Makar Sankranti is celebrated across India in different forms, which reflects our rich cultural heritage that unites us across the diversity of regions and places. One such fundamental element of our culture and tradition is to worship the Sun, (Surya Devta). He is believed to be the absolute manifestation of the Supreme, providing us with the life force energy, spiritual light, and wisdom.
Lohri is celebrated by revolving around the holy fire, singing, and dancing, offering til (sesame), jaggery, corn, and sweets to pay respects to Surya Dev, to mark the end of winter and the beginning of the harvest season in the Northern parts of the country. Pongal is celebrated more elaborately in Tamil Nadu as a four-day festival, which, breathes new life into the people and nature, both. From cleaning and purifying the home to preparing rice meals and worshipping cattle as an ode to their contribution and the community gatherings to strengthen the bonds, Pongal truly encapsulates the new beginnings. Bearing equal significance for the worship of Surya Dev, Magh Bihu is celebrated in Assam to mark the beginning of the harvest season, with traditional dances, traditional dishes, worshipping Surya Dev, paying respects to nature as a zealous community get-together. In Andhra Pradesh, Pedda Panduga marks the end of the winter season and the beginning of the harvest season.
Our scriptures suggest bathing before sunrise by mixing a small amount of Til or Sesame seeds into the bathing water, which gives a positive start to this auspicious day. Oh, and also, don’t forget to offer prayers to Surya Dev by chanting Gayatri Mantra and doing Argya, which means offering water to the Sun.
Unlike other festivals when people wear colourful dresses, wearing black attire on Sankranti is regarded as auspicious. The connection between the black and Sankranti is more rooted in customary scientific beliefs than religious ones. Black is recognised as an absorber of the Sun’s rays, and since Makar Sankranti marks the commencement of the Sun’s journey toward the Northern Hemisphere, people believe that wearing black attire helps them absorb the Sun’s positive energy while also providing warmth during the chilly winter celebration days. Although a fading tradition in contemporary times, one still comes across a woman or two donning black sarees of a specific design known as Chandrakala during Sankranti.
The most important parts of the celebration, which are common across the regions relate to food. Since Makar Sankranti is a time to reap the harvest, traditionally, we eat freshly harvested food grains after offering them to the Gods. The best option here is given by Ayurveda, which suggests eating Khichdi, a simple, easy-to-digest, nourishing, and fulfilling dish meant to prepare our body for the change in season while keeping our body and appetite balanced. Another best part of the Makar Sankranti food is our favourite Til (sesame) and Gud (jaggery) laddus! Til is said to have the ability to absorb negativity and improves our “Sattva” gunaleading to purity, harmony, and goodness for our spiritual upliftment. Other tasty dishes served on this auspicious occcasion this Makar Sankranti are Puran Poli, Undhiyu,Sabudana Vada, Bhogichi Bhaji, Khara Pongal, etc.
Farmers wash and adorn their cattle with colourful costumes, decorate them, and take them in a procession providing them a day of rest and even feed them cooked food. This practice is to remind us to recognise help that we have received from different quarters and to be trustees of fauna and flora and not to be their exploiters, but express our gratitude to the bounties we receive from the nature in various ways.
There is a saying in Kannada, “Ella bella thindu olle matadu”, which means eat a mixture of jaggery and sesame seeds and speak sweet words.Words beingpowerful, they can make or mar relationships. It is worth remembering the subhashita: Having been spoken to with pleasant words everyone becomes happy. Speaking pleasant words should be practised, why be stingy with pleasant words! More civility will prevail if this message is practised in our public discourse.
Makar Sankranti cannot be imagined withoutkite flying. We all have a sentimental value attached to kite flying on Makar Sankranti, whether we are good or bad kite flyers. In this regard we must recognize the genius of our ancestors who came up with the idea of flying kites first thing in the morning on the day of Makar Sankranti so that we can soak in the goodness of Vitamin D and the blessings of Surya Dev as he entered the Makar Rashi.In olden times, it was a part of the celebration in the royal courts of India, and in the current times, it has become an internationally recognized sport attracting people from all over the world.
(The author formerly of the Indian Revenue Service, retired as Director General of Income Tax (Investigation), Chandigarh)
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