🪁
Makar Sankranti
Festival Significance
Makar Sankranti marks the sun's transit into Capricorn (Makara) — the beginning of Uttarayana (northward journey). It is celebrated across India with different names: Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Lohri (Punjab), Bihu (Assam), Uttarayan (Gujarat).
Rituals
Take holy dip in rivers at sunrise. Fly kites (especially in Gujarat and Rajasthan). Prepare til-gur (sesame-jaggery) laddoos. In South India, draw kolam/rangoli and cook Pongal rice dish.
In Varanasi
In Varanasi, Makar Sankranti is celebrated with massive gatherings at the ghats for the holy dip in the Ganga. Kite flying fills the skies above the city. Til-gur sweets are distributed at every ghat and temple.