What is Makar Sankranti and Why Do We Celebrate It?

Makar Sankranti is one of the most auspicious festivals in Hinduism and holds a special place of its own owing to its unique origin. Being the only Hindu festival that is primarily based on the solar calendar instead of the lunar calendar, it celebrates the journey of the sun from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere. It is the harvest festival and is heavily revered among devotees as the mark of a new hope.

Let us get to know this festival up and close and learn its historical origin and the significance it holds in Hindu mythology. Additionally, we are also going to dig deep into how Makar Sankranti is celebrated, especially in Dubai, and how we, at MyGovindas, can make it extra sweet for you.

What is Makar Sankranti?

Makar Sankranti is a pious Hindu festival that celebrates the movement of the sun. Celebrated mid-January every year, this festival denotes the beginning of the harvest season when farmers worship new crops and share them with delight. This also heralds a change in the season as the sun begins its journey from Dakshinayana (southern hemisphere) to Uttarayana (northern hemisphere), thereby marking the end of the winter and the beginning of pleasant and milder warm days.

Additionally, in the Vedas, Sankranti represents the movement of the sun from one Rashi (zodiac constellation) to another. This is why there are 12 Sankrantis in a year. While Sankranti refers to movement or transition, Makar refers to Capricorn. Therefore, it denotes the transition of the sun to Capricorn.

God Surya is worshipped on this day and respect is paid to the solar energy for continuously blessing our lives and food system. Post Sankranti, the days become longer with the sun's rays becoming stronger and more radiant. Essentially, this festival is an ode of thanks to Mother Nature.

History of Makar Sankranti

As we stated above, the holy festival of Makar Sankranti is dedicated to Surya as in Sun God, and celebrates the prosperity he blesses upon our harvest. The auspicious Uttarayana period also begins with this festival. Makar Sankranti is celebrated on 14th January every year. It is also one of the rare Hindu festivals which has a fixed calendar date every year.

This is also the day Goddess Ganga arrived on Earth from Devlok after answering the prayers of King Bhagiratha. Ganga’s condition to land on Earth required someone to hold her force as she descended the planet. Bhagiratha prayed to Lord Shiva to come to his aid.

Shiva answered his prayers and after being trapped in Shiva’s hair and with controlled flow, Ganga landed on Earth by getting released from every matted lock of his, resulting in numerous streams such as Bhagirathi, Alakananada, Mandakini, all merging to the same. Ganga is also called the purest water since it came from the lotus feet of Lord Krishna.

As per Mahabharata, on this day, Bhishma gave up his life after being lying on his bed of arrows. This is also the day Surya visits his son Shani (Saturn). Since Karna used to engage in charitable activities on this day, it is believed that doing charity is a noble affair. Whatever charitable or social work is performed in this day is believed to bear results in multifold. Three weeks after Makar Sankranti, the auspicious Vasant Panchami festival is celebrated.

Significance of Makar Sankranti

Makar Sankranti is a pan-Indian solar festival that has environmental as well as historical significance. It is the celebration of the new season, the new harvest, which in turn, brings people and community together. It invokes a sense of belonging and camaraderie among those who celebrate it.

As this festival marks the victory of goodness over evil, it is also considered an apt day for Sadhana, which is the spiritual mediation or practice since the surrounding environment during this festival is filled with Chaitanya, which refers to cosmic intelligence. In many families, this festival is looked forward to as feasts are held with catering options to treat loved ones.

This festival is celebrated all across the Indian subcontinent with varied names. While it is known as Poush Sankranti in West Bengal and Bangladesh, it is called Pongal in Tamil Nadu. In Gujarat, it is celebrated as Uttarayan, while Punjab celebrates it as Maghi Sangrand or Lohri. In Odhisa, it is celebrated as Makar Mela and it is known as Khichdi Parva in Bihar. Andhra Pradesh celebrates it as Sankranti Panduga, Kerala calls it Makara Vilakku, and Karnataka refers to it as Suggi.

In Himachal Pradesh, it is known as Maghi Saaji. Assam celebrates it with the iconic Magh Bihu. The festival is known as Ghughuti in Uttarakhand, Parshuram Kund Mela in Arunachal Pradesh, and Saenkraat in Jammu and Kashmir. It is called Til Sankranti or Dahi Chura in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Delhi.

Furthermore, Nepal celebrates Makar Sankranti as Maaghe Sankrantm whereas Cambodia and Thailand celebrate it as Mohan Songrak and Songrak respectively. It is celebrated asTirmoori in Pakistan and Uzhavar Thirunal in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Singapore.

Celebration of Makar Sankranti

During Makar Sankranti, prayers are offered to the Sun God and Mother Nature. The first crop is worshipped with sheer devotion and people often gather with their loved ones and communities and sign and dance around a bonfire. This festival showcases the reaping of the benefits of what farmers sow over the harvest season.

Many people start their day by taking a dip in the holy water of celebratory rivers such as the Ganga before and during the sunrise while chanting the Gayatri Mantra. This is followed by performing Argya (offering water to the sun).

This is the time of the year when people greet each other with presents and sweet delicacies, including traditional sweets made with sesame seeds or Til. Kite-flying is also pivotal to this festival and across the Indian subcontinent. The sky decorates itself in colorful kites flying in tandem with each other, creating quite the visual spectacle.

There is also a reason to fly kites and consume sesame seeds. Since we mostly spend the winter cooped up inside, there is a lack of vitamin D in our bodies. With the Makar Sankranti beginning longer days, the sun’s rays become strong. It is considered a healthy practice to spend time in the open air relishing the vitamin D from the sun. This vitamin also helps in the absorption of calcium, which is present in sesame, resulting in us strengthening our bones after a long winter.

Celebration of Makar Sankranti in Dubai

Dubai is a multicultural city, with settlements from all over the world. There is a substantial Hindu population in the city who celebrate this pious festival with pride. Spending time with friends and families, gathering around bonfires, and engaging in songs and dance performances is a common occurrence.

In addition, kite festivals are organized across the city at multiple venues every year where people partake and showcase their kite-flying skills as the blue sky adorns itself with the popping colors of the kites. Live music and dance concerts are held along with the setting up of food stalls. Sweets are an integral part of Indian celebrations and people exchange sweet gift baskets as a sign of sending love.

Celebrate Makar Sankranti in Dubai with Us

At MyGovindas, we are here to heighten the celebratory vibe of Makar Sankranti with our delightful culinary offerings. Treat yourself and your loved ones to the serene ambiance of our Indian restaurants spread all over Dubai and enjoy delicious deserts and our rich winter special menu to a gastronomical experience like no other.

From the delicious Peanut Gud Chikki to the mouthwatering Gajar ka Halwa, from the delectable Gud Rewari to the irresistible Gud Gajjak, from the succulent Jalebi Basundi to the scrumptious Gud Khasta Gajjak, you name it, and we serve all the notes of sweets you need to celebrate this auspicious festival.

And when you want a break from the sweets to try out some main courses, we have the classic combo of Makki ki Roti, Sarson ka Saag with Butter Milk along with Kadhai Paneer with Lachaa Parantha & Gud Rasmalai, among others. You can dine in at our pure veg restaurants in Dubai at Deira, Al Arjan, Karama, Silicon Oasis, and JLT, or order online from our rich winter menu.

To Conclude

Makar Sankranti is the beginning of a new journey. It is about paying respect to the Sun and Mother Nature for blessing us with their offerings. Celebrate this auspicious occasion by paying your tribute and expressing your gratitude. And while at it, showcase your love to your friends and family by gifting them an Indian sweet hamper.