Makar Sankranti 2019: History and importance of Makar Sankranti in India

New Delhi, Jan 13: The vibrant festival of Makar Sankranti 2019 is here. The festival that marks the beginning of a new season or called Maghi in the Hindu calendar, is all about celebrating with your family and friends flying kites and munching on some amazing delicacies.

The festival of Makar Sankranti will be celebrated on January 15, 2019. The day is dedicated to Lord Surya where devotees take a dip in the river Ganges. It is also called the festival of harvest where especially farmers celebrate with full pomp and show.

Makar Sankranti is celebrated in different parts of the country with great fanfare.

History of Makar Sankranti:

Marking the onset of summer and the six months long auspicious period for Hindus known as Uttaarayan, this festival is observed according to the solar cycles. The festivities associated with the day is celebrated by different names in different parts of the country - Lohri in North India, Sukarat in Central India, Bihu in Assam, Pongal in Tamil Nadu and Makar Sankranti in Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and the neighbouring regions, and celebrates the harvest season.

On the day of Makar Sankranti, various spiritual practices are observed. It is common for people to take a holy dip in rivers and it is generally believed that doing so would absolve them of their past sins.

Importance of Makar Sankranti 2019:

Thanking the Almighty for a good harvest and seeking his blessings for the future, people prepare and indulge in a lot of delicacies - sticky sweets made of jaggery and sesame, patishaptas, jaggery and rice pudding, among others. People spend the day with each other, singing traditional folk songs and dancing. In the evening, they light a bonfire and prepare sumptuous meals to be enjoyed together.

Happy Makar Sankranti 2019!