Omkar Dattatray
The festival of Makar Sankranti has great importance in Sanatan Dharma and it is celebrated on the second day after festival of Lori. The Makar Sankranti is observed and celebrated with great religious and spiritual devotion by crores of Indians. The festival is dedicated to Lord Surya and is celebrated at different places of India differently and it is the shining example of diverse culture and diversity and the unity in diversity is the valuable treasure of grand culture of India and this should be maintained at all costs because the beauty of Indian culture lies in its diversity. This festival is the harbinger of change, positivity, enthusiasm, climate change and new beginning. Makar Sankranti also referred as Uttarayana, Makar or simply Sankranti is a Hindu observance and a festival. Usually falling on 14th January every year, this auspicious occasion marks the transition of sun from the zodiac of Sagittarius (Dhanu) to Capricorn (Makra). Since the sun is regarded to have moved from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere on this day in the Hindu calendar. As mentioned at the outset, the festival of Makar Sankranti is dedicated to the solar deity, Surya and is observed to mark a new beginning. Many native multi-day festivals are organized on this occasion all over India. In fact the whole month of Maagaor Maggar is very pious in Hindu scriptures so much so that a person who dies during this month is said to reach heaven and this is described in the holy Bhagwat Gita and therefore this month has special significance for Hindus. The festivities associated with Makar Sankranti are known by various names, Makar Sankranti in Kerala. Magh Bihu in Assam, Magi Saaji in Himachal Pradesh, Magi Sangrand or Uttarain (Uttarayana) in Jammu, Sakrat in central India, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Uttrayana in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, Ghughuti in Uttarakhand, Dahi Chura in Bihar, Makar Sankranti in Odisha, Karnataka, Goa, West Bengal (also Posh Sankranti or Mokor Sonkranti, Uttar Pradesh also called Khichidi Sankranti, Uttarakhand also called Uttarayan, or simply Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, in Gujarat and Rajasthan, it is called Uttarayan. On this day there is the competition of kite flying and the day is celebrated with great fervor. In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh it is celebrated as Makar Sankarmama. The festival is celebrated for three days as Pongal. In Tamil Nadu it is called Pongal and is celebrated as the festival of harvesting of crops by the farmers. In Kashmir Makar Sankranti is called Shishar Sankrant and used to be celebrated with great devotion. As already pointed out Makar Sankranti marks the change of the sun into Makar or Capricorn Zodiac. According to Hindu tradition, it is a very auspicious occasion. On this day lakhs of the Hindus and others take a holy dip in the waters of holy Ganga at Haridwar, Allahabad, Kashi and other places. People also to holy dip in other big rivers all over country. It is believed that devotees are freed from sins by taking a dip in sacred waters of Ganges and other rivers. On this day lakhs of devotees offer prayers to sun God after taking a dip in holy water of Ganges and other rivers across the country. Makar Sankranti is being celebrated on 14th and 15th January and there is great fervor and enthusiasm among the lackhs of devotees who take holy dip in Ganges from Hardiwar to Bengal. Offering of ‘Til’ is given to sun God on this day and it is believed that by offering ‘Til’ happiness comes in the lives of people. In the Gudmukthashwar like areas there is big rush of devotees and 40 lakh to 40 lakh devotees are expected to take holy bath in Ganges at Prayagraj. The festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated in whole north India with great enthusiasm and fervor. As per Hindu Almanac calendars are of two kinds. One is based on sun and the other on moon. This festival is celebrated on the basis of sun calendar. This year the festival of Makar Sankranti will be observed and celebrated on 15th of January. The entering of the sun in the northern hemisphere has a great value in our life such is said in our scriptures. The days are big as the sun entering into Uttarayan and the working capacity of the people also increase and there is progress and development in the lives of the people. The festival of Makar Sankranti is symbolic of progress, enthusiasm and positivity. On the beginning of Makar Sankranti, the Hindu month of Maag or Makar also starts. This festival is the harbingers of spring season, harvesting of crops and fructifying of trees and plants. The festival of Makar Sankranti is know by different names in different states and it is the symbol and sign of our diversity. We should celebrate the spirit behind this festival and uphold the diversity of Indian culture. In some parts of the country kite flying is done on this day and children as well as adults take a great joy in flying kites of different colors. The Sankranti Patang date is on 14th and 15th January and one can fly kites from the morning of 14thJanuary. However some astrologers and specialists said that the best time to fly kites in the sky is on 15th of January from morning. Makar Sankranti is a Hindu festival celebrated and observed throughout the country in different forms and ways and this festival is the best symbol of the diverse culture of India. The people of different faiths celebrate their festivals jointly and great each other on the festivals. The Kashmir Pandits celebrate this festival by encircling their homes with lime and by doing this ritual it is believed that all negative energies will vanish from their homes. In the same way the Makar Sankranti is celebrated by the people of India cutting across religious affiliations and this festival helps in the national unity and integration and therefore we should celebrate this festival with great pomp and show and should celebrate the spirit behind the celebration of this festival. Since India is the land of various faiths, cultures, languages and regions and it is our duty to celebrate different festivals jointly to further and strengthen the bonds of national unity. India is a unique land in the whole world where people belonging to different religious faiths live and prosper side by side and the people of different religions celebrate their festivals commonly and this is the chief characteristic of our Ganga-Jammni culture and all the people have the responsibility to celebrate and observe different festivals jointly and in common so that the our unity in diversity is maintained. Makar Sankranti is one such big festival of the Indians through observance of which national integration is furthered and diversity is also strengthened. To conclude let the sun God to whom this festival is dedicated, bless us all and direct our energies to our collective good so that all of us remain contented and happy and spend our days for national and common good. There is no better way to celebrate the festival of Makar Sankranti than to celebrate it in common and jointly to strengthen the unity as well as diversity for which our country is famous throughout the globe.
(The author is a columnist, social and KP activist).
