January 2016 is just racing away and before you know it, it’s going to be the time of Makara Sankaranthi festival. Since Sankaranthi is the first festival after this exciting New Year, most of us look forward to it, the festivities, fun, not to miss the yummy food and kite flying.
Do you know, Makara Sankaranthi falls on the same day every year as it is one of the very few festivals which follows the Solar Calendar? The auspicious day also marks the beginning of the Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh and the end of the pilgrimage season of Sabarimala in Kerala.
On Makar Sankranti, the sun enters the sun-sign of Capricorn or Makara (the Indian rashi). Therefore the ‘Makar’ in the name. The word ‘Sankranti’ signifies the movement of the sun from one zodiac sign to another.
Basically, Sankaranthi is the festival of harvest, coming as it is, in early spring. India being an agrarian country, it’s all the more important that we do not forget this fact in the rush for urbanization and celebrate it with pomp and aplomb just like our rural counterparts. Different parts of the country celebrate it under different names but it almost always involves lighting a bonfire, sugarcanes and fun.
Wanna soak in on the Sankaranthi festivities this year? Here we give you some ideas on how you could have fun and at the same time, get a feel of the festival.
Fly kites
After all, what is Sankaranthi without kites, right? Have fun this festive season flying kites and cutting off your neighbour’s manjha. Do you know the reason that kite flying is encouraged is to benefit by standing in the winter sun? Our ancestors were brilliant, no doubt about it. Be careful you do not hurt yourself or someone though, and fly in an open field.
Kite flying is an integral part of Sankaranthi in the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Decorate your home with coloured rangolis
Rangolis are an integral part of celebrations especially in Southern India where Pongal is celebrated.(TamilNadu.) Here, it is a four-day festival taking its name from the Tamil word meaning “to boil” and celebrated during the season when rice and other cereals, sugar-cane, and turmeric (an essential ingredient in Tamil cooking) are harvested. Prayer to the Sun God is important and is done by drawing colourful rangolis. Cook up Sankaranthi dishes like Pongal if you can.
So even though you might be cramped up in a flat/apartment, don’t let it get in the way of decorating your abode with some colourful rangoli. Fun, isn’t it?
Dance like never before
Lohri, as Sankaranthi is celebrated in Punjab and Haryana, is one of their biggest festivals. It marks the ending of the coldest month of the year. In villages, the entire population comes together and people celebrate around a bonfire. So if you aren’t living in a village right now, gather your good friends, dress in the brightest clothes and dance away the night to popular bhangra songs.
Don’t forget to gorge on peanut, til chikkis and some jaggery for the desired effect!
Make a family trip
The season’s cool, the year’s young and the mind, fresh! So make a trip. Now this might not be typical of Sankaranthi celebrations, but we urge you to take a trip with your family and make the most of a holiday weekend as Sankaranthi falls closer to a weekend this year. Check out
Check out Yatra.com with Sankaranthi offers for some exciting holidays to interesting places.
Cook up a traditional Bengali meal with Pithe
It’s always exciting to learn new traditions, right? West Bengal’s own Sankaranthi is called Poush Sankaranthi and marks the harvest festival and the beginning of an auspicious time, just like the rest of India.
Google up some traditional Bengal recipes like Dimer Dhokkar Dalna and Luchi and Bhapaa Aloo along with the Poush Sankaranthi special, Pithe- and invite some friends over. We assure you, you won’t regret it.
Visit a village and join the celebrations
Hadaga Festival is the festival which signifies good harvest and is another name for Sankaranthi. It is the principle harvest festival of Maharashtra, where they pray to lord Indra and sings songs in praise of Lord Indra thanking him for rain and the harvest. The best way to soak in the festivities,is to visit a village. Whichever state you belong to, visit the rural areas and join in the celebrations with the village folk.
We are sure they will welcome you with open arms, and you will keeping going every year.