Lohri, Pongal, Magh Bihu – different names of a day science marries culture

While Punjab celebrates Lohri, Uttar Pradesh wishes on Makar Sankranti, for Assam it is Magh Bihu and in Tamil Nadu it is Pongal. Different names of a day India shows gratitude to Mother Nature and celebrates warmer days ahead as Sun changes its position, the celestial transition called 'Uttarayan'.

If there is one day that is a perfect example of India's diverse traditions, its many colours of celebrations, the science behind the country's various festivities and the proof of how progressive and abundantly knowledgeable the roots of this country are-it is today, the day of Makar Sankranti. This is that time of the year when almost all the States are celebrating one festival but with different names and rituals for an underlying common reason that marries culture with science.

While people in Punjab and Haryana dance their way to celebrate Lohri, in Uttar Pradesh they wish each other on Makar Sankranti, for Assam it is Magha Bihu and in Bihar it is Til Sankranti. It is the day when Tamil Nadu gets together to celebrate Pongal, Kerala celebrates Makara Vilakku while Gujaratis celebrate the 'illumination' and call it Uttarayan and Northeast reverberates with the vibes of Pousha Sankriti.

Let us look at how India celebrates together, yet in different ways and under different names in each State and the startling scientific reasons for the celebrations on this special day.

Lohri in Punjab, Haryana to welcome warmer, longer days

Lohri, also known as Lal Loi or Lohadi, is a popular harvest festival celebrated with much fervour and enthusiasm in Punjab, Haryana, parts of Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Delhi. Celebrated mostly on January 13, a day before Makar Sankranti, Lohri is the first festival of the new year and is widely associated with the harvesting of rabi crops.

This popular winter folk festival celebrated primarily by Sikhs and Hindus from the Punjab region, commemorates the passing of the winter solstice. Lohri marks the end of winter season, and is a traditional welcome of longer days and sun's journey to the northern hemisphere.

Farmers start harvesting the crop from this day on and the festival is often associated with the prospects of warmth, prosperity and good health. The menu on this festive day is quite scientific with all the items being warm, healthy, preparing the body for the new year ahead.

Makar Sankranti: A festival rooted in science

The seasonal and religious festival of Makar Sankranti celebrated across northern India marks the sun changing directions and shifting its trajectory.

Makara Sankranti or Maghi or simply Sankranthi, is dedicated to the deity Surya (sun). The day marks the first day of the sun's transit into Makara rashi (Capricorn), marking the end of the month with the winter solstice and the start of longer days.

Sankranti means transmigration of the Sun from one Rāshi (constellation of the zodiac in Indian astronomy) to the next. Hence, there are 12 Sankranthi in a year.

Every year, Sun changes its position twice and the two positions are known as Uttarayan and Dakshinayan. While Dakshinayan is the period when the Sun travels to the South when the nights are longer and days are shorter, Uttarayan is when the Sun travels to the North and is considered an auspicious time for new beginnings.

Hindus consider this period as the period of 'devas', donations, charities, marriages etc. It is said that on Makar Sankranti, the sun rays are very healthy for the body and skin.

In Gujarat grain from the new harvest is used to cook 'khichdo'. Typical food like Undiya, sugar cane juice and local sweets are served to celebrate the day. Cows and trees are also worshipped since man's existence depends on them. People forget and forgive ill will. For this, they ritually offer each other food balls made of sesame seed and jaggery. This is common in Maharashtra too. In eastern India, at Gangasagar, thousands of pilgrims throng Kapil Muni's ashram on this day for darshan.

Pongal in Tamil Nadu

Pongal is a Tamil harvest festival and is observed as Thanksgiving Day. In an agriculture-based civilization, harvest plays an important role. The farmer cultivating the land depends on his cattle, timely rain and the Sun. The first day of this month is a festival day known as "Pongal Day". Pongal means the "boiling over" of milk and rice. Pongal has a history that spans back over 2000 years. It has been a Dravidian harvest festival that was observed as Thai Un and Thai Niradal in its early years.

The four-day Pongal festivities include Bhogi Pongal (where the old articles are burned down to mark the end of winter), Thai Pongal (where the sun god is worshipped for prosperity by making Pongal), Mattu Pongal (where farmers thank the cattle especially cows for helping them with farming) and the last day Kaanum Pongal (where people set out on a trip or watch Jallikattu for recreation).

Assam dances to Magh Bihu tunes

While the other States of India celebrate Makar Sankranti or Pongal, Assam brims with the festivities of Bhogali Bihu or Magh Bihu which marks the end of the harvest season. Magh Bihu is the second largest Bihu festival of Assam after Bohag Bihu. On Magh Bihu, the granaries of the farmers are full and there is festivity all around.

On the occasion of Magh Bihu, people throw away useless stuff in the bonfire ignited with cow dung cakes signifying a new beginning. The main reason behind creating this bonfire is to make the overall atmosphere warm as the weather tends to remain pretty cold during the last winter month. On the occasion of Magh Bihu, Lord Indra, the 'God of rains and clouds', is worshipped for good rains and good harvest.

These festivals that are celebrated across the country during this period are all bound by the common and scientific reasons that even the modern world can't deny. This day is yet again a proof of how India's traditions, in every nook and corner, have a history, a reason and a logic rooted in science, facts and a strong cultural past.