Makar Sankranti is one of the most auspicious occasions for the Hindus, and is celebrated in almost all parts of India in myriad cultural forms, with great devotion, fervour, and gaiety. It is a harvest festival. Makar Sankranti is perhaps the only Indian festival whose date always falls on the same day every year on, January 14, with some exception, when the festival is celebrated on January 13 or January 15.
History
Makar Sankranti is the day when the glorious Sun-God begins its ascendancy and entry into the Northern Hemisphere and thus it signifies an event wherein the Sun-God seems to remind their children that 'Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya'- may you go higher & higher, to more & more Light and never to Darkness.
To Hindus, the Sun stands for knowledge, spiritual light and wisdom. Makar Sankranti signifies that we should turn away from the darkness of delusion in which we live, and begin to enjoy a new life with bright light within us to shine brighter and brighter. We should gradually begin to grow in purity, wisdom, and knowledge, even as the Sun does from the Day of Makar Sankranti.
The festival of Makar Sankranti is highly regarded by the Hindus from North to down South. The day is known by various names and a variety of traditions are witnessed as one explores the festival in different states.
Owing to the vast geography and diversity of culture in India, this festival is celebrated for innumerable reasons and in innumerable ways depending on the climate, agricultural environment, cultural background and location. On this day children fly kites.
Name
Sankranti is celebrated all over South Asia with some regional variations. It is known by different names and celebrated with different customs in different parts of the country.
In India it is known by different regional names
Makar Sankranti or Sankranti - Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Bihar, Goa, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Orissa, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.
Uttarayan- Gujarat and Rajasthan
Maghi - Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab
Lohri - Punjab
Pongal - Tamil Nadu
Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu - Assam Valley
Shishur Saenkraat - Kashmir Valley
Khichdi- Uttar Pradesh
Makara Sankramana - Karnataka
In other countries too the day is celebrated but under different names and in different ways
In Nepal-Maghe Sankranti
Tharu people - Maghi
Other people - Maghe Sankranti or Maghe Sakrati
In Thailand - สงกรานต์ Songkran
In Laos - Pi Ma Lao
In Myanmar - Thingyan
In Cambodia - Moha Sangkran
Traditions, rituals and celebration:
Makar Sankranti is one of the most auspicious days for the Hindus and is celebrated in almost all parts of India in myriad cultural forms, with great devotion. Millions of people take a dip in places like Ganga Sagar (the point where the river Ganges meets the Bay of Bengal) and Prayag and pray to the Sun God (Surya). It is celebrated with pomp in southern parts of India as Sankranti (Pongal in Tamil Nadu), and in Punjab as Maghi.
In the western Indian state of Gujarat, the celebrations are even bigger. People offer thousands of their colorful oblations to the Sun in the form of beautiful kites. The act stands as a metaphor for reaching to their beloved God, the one who represents the best. In the rural and coastal areas, cock fights are held and is a prominent event of the festival. Makara Sankranti is also to honour, worship and to pay respect to Saraswati (Goddess of Knowledge). At the start of this significant event, there is also worship for the departed ancestors.
Makara Sankranti identifies a period of enlightenment, peace, prosperity and happiness followed by a period of darkness, ignorance and viciousness with immense sorrow. The six months of northern movement of the sun is followed by six months of southern movement.
Since the festival is celebrated in mid winter, food prepared for this festival is such that it keeps the body warm and gives high energy. Laddu of til made with Jaggery is a specialty of the festival. In the western Indian state of Maharashtra it is called 'Tilgul'. In Karnataka it is called 'Yellu-Bella'. In some states cattle are decorated with various colours and are made to jump over a bon-fire.
It is celebrated differently in different regions of India.
ANDHRA PRADESH :
The festival, Sankranti (మకర సంక్రాంతి), is celebrated for four days in Andhra Pradesh as below:
Day 1 - Bhogi (భోగి)
Day 2 - Makara Sankranti (మకర సంక్రాంతి-పెద్ద పండుగ)- the main festival day
Day 3 - Kanuma (కనుము)
Day 4 - Mukkanuma (ముక్కనుము)
The day preceding Makara Sankranti is called Bhogi(భోగి) and this is when people discard old and derelict things and concentrate on new things causing change or transformation. At dawn people light a bonfire with logs of wood, other solid-fuels and wooden furniture at home that are no longer useful. The disposal of derelict things is where all old habits, the vices, attachment to relations and materials things are sacrificed in the sacrificial fire of the knowledge of Rudra, known as the "Rudra Gita Gyan Yagya. It represents realization, transformation and purification of the soul by imbibing and inculcating divine virtues.
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In many families, infants and children (usually less than three years old) are showered with fruit called "Regi Pandlu", that is the Indian jujube fruit. It is believed that doing this would protect the children from evil eye. Sweets in generous quantities are prepared and distributed. It is a time for families to congregate. Brothers pay special tribute to their married sisters by giving gifts as affirmation of their filial love. Landlords give gifts of food, clothes and money to their workforce.
The second day is Makara Sankranti, also called "Pedda Panduga" (పెద్ద పండుగ), which literally means "the big festival", when everyone wears new clothes, prays to God, and make offerings of traditional food to ancestors who have died.They also make big and beautiful muggus{rangolis) in front of their homes and they decorate the rangoli with flowers, colors and sparkle colors.
On the day after Makara Sankranti, the animal kingdom is remembered and in particular, the cows. Young girls feed the animals, birds and fishes as a symbol of sharing. Travel is considered to be inappropriate, as these days are dedicated for re-union of the families. Sankranti in this sense demonstrates their strong cultural values as well as a time for change and transformation. And finally, gurus seek out their devotees to bestow blessings on them.
Kanuma Panduga (కనుమ) is not as widely celebrated, but is an integral part of the Sankranti culture. Mukkanuma (ముక్కనుమ) is popular among the non-vegetarians of the society.
People in Coastal Andhra do not eat any meat or fish during the first three days of the festival, and do so only on the day of Mukkanuma, whereas people in Telangana region observe only the first two days as part of the festival. They eat rice cooked with Til (sesame seeds) on the first day and eat meat on Makara Sankranti (Pedda Panduga), the second day of the festival. For this festival all families prepare Ariselu, Appalu (a sweet made of Jaggery and Pumpkin) and make an offering to God.
This festival Sankranti is celebrated in almost every village and town with adventurous games in South India. Whether it is the cock fights in Andhra, Bull fighting in Tamil Nadu or Elephant Mela in Kerala, there is huge amount of illegal betting but the so-called "tradition" continues to play a major role in the festival.[citation needed]
Another notable feature of the festival in South India is the Haridas who goes early in the morning around with a colorfully dressed cow,singing songs of Lord Vishnu(Hari) hence the name Haridasu(servant of hari). It is a custom that he should not talk to anyone and only sing songs of lord vishnu when he goes to everyones house. During these days people from Hyderabad fly kites from terraces of their buildings. Children and elders enjoy this kite flying a lot.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makar_Sankranti
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