Makar Sankranti Rituals

Makar Sankranti Rituals– Makar Sankranti is a famous festival celebrated in many parts of India. It is also called “Thanksgiving” in India. It is a time of harvest and an expression of gratitude to God for making the land prosperous. There is no doubt that India is the home of culture and customs.

Meaning of Makar Sankranti


Moreover, Makar Sankranti is one of the most important celebrations in the Hindu calendar. Makar Sankranti Rituals are incomplete without food and kite flying. This gathering festival is usually celebrated regularly on January 14th or 15th, basically following the solar cycle. The main theme of this celebration is taking a heavenly bath and offering prayers to the sun god. The ruler of the sun is one of the pivotal divine beings in Hindu folklore. Also, reading and writing about Sankranti is a great way to help little ones recollect sources and information about Indian festivals.

Story of Makar Sankranti


Makar Sankranti is made up of the words Makar and Sankranti. Makar means the progression of Capricorn, and Sankranti, Makar Sankranti, means the change of the sun into Capricorn (constellation). Moreover, this event is a very sacred and auspicious event, as stated in Hinduism, and they celebrate it as a festival.

The transition of the sun into Capricorn is celestial, and we Indians accept that a dip in the holy river Ganges will wash away all our sins and make our souls pure and blessed. It also alludes to an increase in otherworldly light and a decrease in the resulting blur. From the logical point of view of Makar Sankranti, the days are longer and the nights are more limited.

Makar Sankranti Rituals
Makar Sankranti Rituals

Also, the belief in immersing in the Prayagraj of Makar Sankranti during the Kumbh Mela at the blessed Triveni Sangam (where the three sacred streams, especially the Ganga, Yamuna, and Brahmaputra, converge) is of great importance in the religion.

Now, when you take a divine leap into the waterway, as the current progress, all wrongdoings and obstacles in life are washed away. Sankranti is considered a god. According to folklore, Sankranti killed the demon Sakasur.  Karidin, or Kinkrant, is the day after Makar Sankrant.

That day, Devi defeated the demon Kinkasur. Information about Makar Sankranti is available at Panchang. Panchan, a Hindu almanac, contains information on Sankranti’s age, shape, attire, orientation, and movement.

• “The interval between Makar Sankranti and 40 Ghatis (approximately 16 hours in Indian locations if we consider the duration of 1 Ghati to be 24 minutes) is considered suitable for promising activities during Makar Sankranti time,” said Drik Panchaang. Punya Kaal is forty years old and is in his Ghatis period. Sankranti activities include offering baths and naivedya (meals to the gods) to Lord Surya.

• During Punyakal, almsgiving (Dakshina), shraddha rituals, and fast-breaking (Parana) should be performed. If Makar Sankranti falls after sunset, Punyakhar activities will be postponed until the next sunrise. Therefore, all Punyakhar activities should be done during the day.
Makar Sankranti’s importance

According to the scriptures, Dakshinayan represents God’s night or negative sign, and Uttarayan represents God’s day or a sign of optimism. On this day, as the sun begins its journey north, people take holy baths in the Ganga, Godavari, Krishna, and Yamuna rivers, chant mantras, and more. The sun normally affects all zodiac signs, but when the sun arrives in Cancer and Capricorn, it can prove to be very beneficial.

The sun is in front of Makar Sankranti in the southern hemisphere. As a result, the nights are longer and the days are shorter in India during the winter. However, during Makar Sankranti, the sun begins to move towards the northern hemisphere, lengthening the days and shortening the nights.


Makar Sankranti Ritual


On the occasion of Makar Sankranti, people worship the sun god in various forms to show their gratitude to the people of India throughout the year. Good deeds and donations made at this time will be more fruitful.

Makar Sankranti Rituals
Makar Sankranti Rituals

Perform the Haldi Kumkum ceremony in such a way that the dormant waves of Adi Shakti awaken in space.

Lohri:


On January 13, one day before Makar Sankranti, Haryana and Punjab celebrate Lohri. In the evening, people gather around the campfire and throw puffed rice and popcorn into the flames of the huge fire. Prayers and wishes for happiness, health, growth, and prosperity are included.


Kite Festival:


Kite festivals are held in Gujarat on the auspicious day of Makar Sankranti.

“Donation Feast” or “Khichdi”:


In Uttar Pradesh, it is primarily a gift-giving and fundraising event. The Mag Fair was held for a month at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers. In Bengal, it is customary to donate until bathing at Makar Sankrant. Gangasagar also hosts a major fair every year.

Makar Sankranti Rituals
Makar Sankranti Rituals

Pongal:


In Tamil Nadu, for its four days during Makar Sankranti, this colorful event is known as Pongal.
In Bihar, the celebration of Makar Sankranti is called Kitchidi. Giving urad, rice, gold, and woolen garments have their own significance on this day. In the first Sankrant, all married women in Maharashtra offer cotton, oil, and salt to other suhagans (married women).


As a result, the Makar Sankranti event has a unique significance in India. It is valued and honored under numerous titles in various states.

Suggested Reads: Makar Sankranti Celebration 2023
Significance of Makar Sankranti
Makar Sankranti
Makar Sankranti and why It Is Celebrated?

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