Makara Sankrānti is a Hindu festival celebrated in almost all parts of India and Nepal in a myriad of cultural forms. It is a harvest festival. It is the Hindi name for Makara Sankrānti. It marks the transition of the Sun into the zodiac sign of Makara (Capricorn) rāshi (constellation) on its celestial path. The day is also believed to mark the arrival of spring in India and is a traditional event. Makara Sankrānti is a solar event making the only Indian festival that fall on the same date in the Gregorian calendar every year: 14 January, with some exceptions when the festival is celebrated on 13 or 15 January. Makara Sankrānti also commemorates the beginning of the harvest season and cessation of the northeast monsoon in South India. Makara Sankrānti, apart from a harvest festival is also regarded as the beginning of an auspicious phase in Indian culture. It is said as the Uttarāyana Punyakāla - holy phase of transition. It marks the end of an inauspicious phase which according to the Hindu calendar begins around mid-December (or from Karkata Sankranti in mid-July when Uttarāyana finishes and Dakshināyana commences. It is believed that any auspicious and sacred ritual can be sanctified in any Hindu family, this day onwards. Scientifically, this day marks the beginning of warmer and longer days compared to the nights. In other words, Sankrānti marks the termination of winter season and beginning of a new harvest or spring season. Many Indians conflate this festival with the Winter Solstice, and believe that the sun ends its southward journey (Sanskrit: Dakshināyana) at the Tropic of Capricorn, and starts moving northward (Sanskrit: Uttarāyana) towards the Tropic of Cancer, in the month of Pausha on this day in mid-January. Further, the Sun makes its northward journey on the day after winter solstice when day light increases. Therefore, Makara Sankrānti signifies the celebration of the day following the day of winter solstice. Scientifically, currently in the Northern Hemisphere, winter solstice occurs between December 21 and 22. Day light will begin to increase on 22 December and on this day, the Sun will begin its northward journey which marks Uttarāyana. All over the country, Makara Sankrānti is observed with great fanfare. However, it is celebrated with distinct names and rituals in different parts of the country. In the states of northern and western India, the festival is celebrated as the Sankrānti day with special zeal and fervour. The importance of this day has been signified in the ancient epics like Mahabharata also. So, apart from socio-geographical importance, this day also holds a historical and religious significance. As it is the festival of Sun God, and he is regarded as the symbol of divinity and wisdom, the festival also holds an eternal meaning to it. Sankranti is celebrated all over South Asia with some regional variations. It is known by different names and celebrated with different customs in different parts of the country popularly celebrated in Karnataka (Sankranthi), Telangana (Sankranthi), Andhra pradesh (Sankranthi) and Tamil Nadu (Pongal). In India it is known by different regional names. - Makara Sankranti: Chhattisgarh, Goa, Odisha, Haryana, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana,Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Rajasthan,Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, and West Bengal - Pongal,Uzhavar Thirunal: Tamil Nadu - Uttarayana: Gujarat - Maghi: Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. The day before, people of Punjab celebrate Lohri. - Bhogali Bihu: Assam - Shishur Saenkraat: Kashmir Valley - Khichdi: Uttar Pradesh and western Bihar - Makara Sankramana: Karnataka “As the Sun starts its auspicious northward journey – Uttarāyana Punyakāla, may He bring Happiness and Prosperity throughout the Year to all. Happy Makara Sankrānti to all.” https://youtube/watch?v=cDBZ51MCAWM
Posted on: Wed, 14 Jan 2015 02:08:01 +0000
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