Festival guide
Makar Sankranti 2026
मकर संक्रांति
Makar Sankranti marks the sun's transit into Capricorn (Makara) — the beginning of Uttarayana (northward journey).
- Date
- Wed, 14 January 2026
- Main muhurat
- Punya Kaal · 3:13 – 5:28 pm
Plan the day
Good times and times to avoid
· Varanasi time (IST)
Auspicious windows
- Maha Punya Kaal1h 47m
- Brahma Muhurta53m
- Amrit Kalam1h 48m
Times to avoid
- Yama Gandam1h 20m
- Dur Muhurta43m
- Rahu Kaal1h 20m
Sun and moon
- Sunrise
- 6:45 am
- Sunset
- 5:28 pm
- Moonrise
- 3:57 am
- Moonset
- 1:29 pm
The festival day's almanac
Panchang for Wed, 14 January
- Tithi
- Ekadashi, then Dwadashi
- Nakshatra
- Anuradha
- Yoga
- Ganda
- Karana
- Balava
- Paksha
- Krishna
- Masa
- Magha
- Tithi
- EkadashiFrom Until Then Dwadashiuntil
- Nakshatra
- AnuradhaFrom Until
Choghadiya, day and night
Day
- LabhGood
- AmritGood
- KaalAvoid
- RogAvoid
- ShubhGood
- UdvegAvoid
- ChalNeutral
- LabhGood
Night
- UdvegAvoid
- ShubhGood
- AmritGood
- ChalNeutral
- RogAvoid
- KaalAvoid
- LabhGood
- UdvegAvoid
The story
Makar Sankranti: significance and rituals
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.
Local colour
Makar Sankranti 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.
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