Know how Makar Sankranti is differently celebrated across India
What's the story
Makar Sankranti, aka Maghi or Uttarayan, kicks off India's sunny season with a bang!
It's the grand festival where the sun moves into Capricorn, officially saying goodbye to chilly winter blues.
Across India, folks splash into rivers, fly vibrant kites, munch on sweets, and honour Lord Surya.
Here's your fun ride through India's quirkiest and coolest Sankranti celebrations!
Karnataka celebrations
Karnataka's Suggi: A harvest festival of joy and sharing
In Karnataka, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Suggi, a harvest festival mainly for farmers.
Girls wear new clothes and distribute sweets, dried coconut, fried groundnuts, and jaggery mixed with white sesame seeds.
The celebration coincides with the arrival of the sugarcane harvest season.
A unique custom is that newlyweds gift bananas to married women for five years, increasing the quantity every year by multiples of five.
Tamil Nadu festivities
Tamil Nadu's Pongal: A 4-day celebration of renewal
In Tamil Nadu, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as part of a four-day Pongal vacation.
The first day, Boghi, is celebrated by burning old clothes and items to mark new beginnings.
The second day, Thai Pongal, is celebrated by preparing a dessert made from rice boiled with fresh milk and jaggery.
The festival is an integral part of the region's cultural traditions and marks a time for renewal and celebration.
Assam traditions
Assam's Magh Bihu: A festival of feasts and bonfires
Assam celebrates Makar Sankranti as Magh Bihu, replete with feasts and bonfires.
Youngsters build temporary homes, Meji and Bhelaghar, from bamboo and leaves, which are set on fire after a morning feast.
The festivities also include traditional Assamese games like buffalo fighting and pot-breaking, making this festival a truly vibrant cultural experience.
Gujarat celebrations
Gujarat's Uttarayan: A 2-day festival of kites
Gujarat celebrates Makar Sankranti as Uttarayan over two days.
The centerpiece of this celebration is the International Kite Festival, where people fly kites made from lightweight paper and bamboo.
This unique tradition adds a colorful spectacle to the festivities, making it a much-anticipated event in the region's cultural calendar.
Punjab traditions
Punjab's Lohri: A pre-harvest festival of dance and exchange
In Punjab, farmers observe Lohri as the new year before the harvest season kicks in.
They pray to Lord Agni for bountiful crops and engage in bhangra folk dances.
The festival also includes the distribution of traditional sweets such as revari and gajjak, creating a sense of community and shared prosperity among those celebrating.
Kerala rituals
Kerala's Makaravilakku: A sacred procession at Sabarimala shrine
Kerala's Sabarimala shrine celebrates Makar Sankranti with the Makaravilakku celebration.
The devotees assemble for a procession of Thiruvabharanam, the sacred ornaments of Lord Ayyappan.
This religious event is a major highlight of the festival, attracting huge crowds and creating a sense of unity and devotion among the attendees.