Makar Sankranti - 14th January 2026, Wednesday / बुधवार
Makara Sankranti Punya Kala - 03:13 PM to 05:45 PM
Duration - 02 Hours 32 Mins
Makara Sankranti Maha Punya Kala - 03:13 PM to 04:58 PM
Duration - 01 Hour 45 Mins
Makara Sankranti Moment - 03:13 PM
Makara Sankranti is a pan-India harvest festival celebrating the Sun god’s transition into Makara (Capricorn), marking new beginnings, prosperity, and abundance. Across India, the festival is honored with region-specific rituals, traditional foods, and cultural festivities—kite flying in Gujarat, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Khichdi in Uttar Pradesh, and Bhogali Bihu in Assam. Families perform Puja, take ritual baths, and wear ethnic attire, reflecting gratitude, community, and harmony with nature. This guide explores state-wise customs, foods, and celebrations.
The Sanskrit term Sankranti means “change” or a momentous transformation. The festival of Makara Sankranti in Hindu culture, celebrated in January, comes when Surya, the Sun god changes his course, moving from the Dhanu Rashi (Sagittarius) to Makara (Capricorn) or from the Southern to Northern Hemisphere. The change is not just in the route of the Sun, but also in the mood and attitude of the people of India, who have learned the art of being in sync with nature and natural phenomena from their Vedic ancestors.
Makara Sankranti, India’s vibrant harvest festival, marks the Sun god’s transition into Makara (Capricorn), bringing new beginnings, prosperity, and joy. Across the country, each state celebrates with unique rituals, traditional foods, and colorful festivities from kite flying in Gujarat to Pongal in Tamil Nadu. Join us as we explore how India honors this auspicious day, blending ancient customs with local flavors and community spirit.
Societies in India, from North to South observe Sankranti as a festival of new beginnings when the hard work of farmers is reaped and wealth, auspiciousness and joy enter the home. With regalia and food, the days of Makara Sankranti are celebrated differently in each region of India. At the core of these seemingly varied festivities are the essential values of Indianess- a sense of community, following the cycles of nature, and sharing one’s happiness with the family.
A running theme in the festivities of India on Makara Sankranti is the worship of the Sun god and the cooking of local delicacies which are shared amongst family members with love and blessings. People wake up before sunrise, take a ritual bath in holy rivers or a pious water reservoir close to them, get dressed in traditional Indian clothes, perform Puja and bask in the soothing warmth of the Sun and their families.
Let us take you on a Bhaarat-Yaatra, traveling through different regions of India, to observe the vibrant beauty of its diverse yet united culture, on the occasion of Makara Sankranti. On our journey, you will get to meet the local dishes and culture, while getting a few tips in festive ethnic style from the women of India.
In these northern and central states of India, Makara Sankranti is celebrated as Sankranti, Sakat, or Khichdi (Bihar). It marks the harvest season and the onset of prosperity in homes. Families wake early, take ritual baths in holy rivers like the Ganga, Yamuna, or Kshipra, and perform Surya Puja to honor the Sun god.
🔸Khichdi: A savory porridge of lentils and rice
🔸Dahi-Chura: Flattened rice with curd, symbolizing purity and nourishment
Popular choices of traditional attire on the occasion of Makara Sankranti pooja in these states include:
🔸Women wear colorful Banarasi sarees with ethnic brocade work and embroidery on silk, which is an excellent fabric for winters.
🔸Chanderi sarees are popular in Madhya Pradesh for their elegance during celebrations.
🔸Community gatherings and family feasts
🔸Blessings exchanged among relatives, reinforcing gratitude and unity
In Punjab, Makara Sankranti is celebrated as Maaghi, marking the beginning of the month of Magh according to the Hindu calendar. The festival celebrates agricultural abundance, prosperity, and community joy. Families gather around bonfires, sing folk songs, and dance in colorful attire to welcome the new harvest season.
🔸Rahu di Kheer: Rice cooked with sugarcane juice, served with curd
🔸Sesame sweets and jaggery-based treats
🔸Women wear vibrant Phulkari suits and sarees, adorned with floral embroidery
🔸Men often dress in traditional kurta-pajama with turbans
🔸Community fairs (Mela) showcase music, dance, and local crafts
🔸Symbolizes unity, prosperity, and gratitude to nature
In western India, Makara Sankranti is celebrated with vibrant customs and kite flying competitions. In Rajasthan, the festival is marked by Sankrant Bhoj, a communal feast where women invite relatives to share traditional delicacies. Gujarat hosts the International Kite Festival (Uttarayan), attracting participants from around the world to celebrate the Sun’s northward journey.
🔸Sankrant Bhoj (feast): Sweets made from Til (sesame) & Gur (jaggery) in Rajasthan
🔸Undhiyu or Undiyo: A mixed vegetable dish popular in Gujarat
🔸Women wear Bandhani and Leheriya sarees with bright patterns
🔸Men don traditional turbans and ethnic kurtas for festive gatherings
🔸Rooftop kite flying is a symbol of joy, prosperity, and freedom
🔸Community gatherings, music, and local fairs highlight cultural heritage
In Tamil Nadu, Makara Sankranti is celebrated as Pongal, a four-day harvest festival honoring Surya Deva (the Sun god). Families cook the Pongal dish freshly harvested rice boiled with milk and jaggery allowing it to overflow as a symbol of abundance and prosperity. Women decorate the floors with Kolam (rangoli designs) using rice flour, creating intricate patterns to welcome blessings.
🔸Pongal dish: Sweet or savory rice-based preparation
🔸Coconut, jaggery, and milk-based sweets
🔸Women wear Kanjivaram sarees with floral jewelry and flowers in their hair
🔸Men wear veshti and shirt, traditional ceremonial wear
🔸Bhogi Pongal: Cleansing of the house and burning old items
🔸Mattu Pongal: Honoring cattle and livestock essential to farming
🔸Kanum Pongal: Family outings and communal celebrations
In West Bengal, Makara Sankranti is celebrated as Posh Sankranti or Poush Praban, centered around the worship of Goddess Lakshmi for wealth and prosperity. Families perform Bahar Lakshmi Puja, asking the goddess to bless them with abundance throughout the year. Women prepare Pitha, a traditional Bengali sweet made from rice, jaggery, coconut, and milk.
🔸Home-cooked Pitha: a Bengali sweet prepared after mixing coconut, milk, and Khajur gur (jaggery made from dates) with grounded rice.
🔸Seasonal fruits and milk-based sweets
🔸Bengali women wear Baluchari silk sarees or Kantha embroidered sarees
🔸Men wear traditional dhoti-kurta ensembles
🔸Home rituals and family gatherings reinforce gratitude and community values
🔸Culinary traditions showcase regional diversity and heritage
In Odisha, Makara Sankranti is celebrated with Makara Mela, a grand fair dedicated to the Sun god, especially around the Sun Temple of Konark in Puri. Devotees visit the temple and perform Surya Puja, seeking blessings for a prosperous year. Traditional Makara Chaula, made from rice, milk, jaggery, banana, sugarcane, and chenna (fresh cheese), symbolizes the abundance of the harvest season.
🔸Makara Chaula: Rice-based dish with milk, jaggery, banana, and chenna
🔸Seasonal sweets using freshly harvested ingredients
🔸Women wear Bomkai sarees, Odisha’s traditional handloom attire
🔸Men wear dhoti-kurta, often in local cotton fabrics
🔸Community gatherings at Makara Mela with cultural performances
🔸Ritual baths and prayers strengthen faith, gratitude, and unity
In Assam, Makara Sankranti is celebrated as Bhogali Bihu or Magh Bihu, a harvest festival filled with food, bonfires, and traditional games. On the eve of Bihu, known as Uruka, families prepare for the next day’s festivities. A ritual fire called Meji becomes the center of community gatherings, symbolizing purification and unity.
🔸Pitha: Rice cakes with coconut and jaggery
🔸Seasonal meat preparations and sweets
🔸Women wear Muga silk sarees adorned with ethnic motifs
🔸Men dress in traditional dhoti-kurta or gamocha
🔸Folk dances and music around bonfires
🔸Emphasis on community bonding, gratitude, and celebration of nature
The way of celebrating Makara Sankranti in India, the festival gives you one of those rare moments, in which the fact of India’s “unity in diversity” can be appreciated in all its glory. A picture that is complemented by delicious food, luxurious Indian ethnic fashion, and a collective awareness of the role of mother nature in human life. It is in these festivals celebrated throughout the country, that the splendor of the ancient spirit of Hindu culture can be witnessed.
Makara Sankranti marks the Sun god’s transition into Capricorn, symbolizing new beginnings, harvest, and prosperity across India.
Devotees honor Surya Deva (Sun god), offering prayers and taking ritual baths in holy rivers such as Ganga, Yamuna, and Godavari.
Kite flying celebrates joy, abundance, and the Sun’s northward movement, bringing communities together.
Pongal, celebrated in Tamil Nadu, honors Surya Deva. Families cook sweet rice with milk and jaggery as a harvest offering.
Lohri is a Punjab festival marking winter’s end and the rabi harvest, while Makara Sankranti is a pan-India Sun worship festival.
Bhogi is the first day of Pongal when old items are burned, symbolizing cleansing and preparation for new beginnings.
Pana Sankranti is Odisha’s New Year festival, honoring Lord Jagannatha with a seasonal fruit and jaggery drink called “Pana”.
The Sun enters Capricorn or Makar rashi and starts its journey to the northern hemisphere known as Uttarayana on Makar Sankranti.
Lohri is a traditional festival of Punjab celebrated to mark the end of winter and the harvest of rabi crops such as sugarcane. People burn bonfires, dance around them, sing folk songs, and distribute foods such as sesame seed sweets, jaggery, and peanuts in the hope of a positive and successful year ahead.
While both festivals are celebrated in honor of Surya Deva, Makar Sankranti is celebrations in the month of January and Pongal is a regional festival of Tamil Nadu.
🔸Sun Worship: Makara Sankranti honors Surya Deva, marking the Sun’s transition into Capricorn.
🔸Harvest Festival: Celebrated nationwide, it symbolizes prosperity, abundance, and new beginnings.
🔸Regional Foods: Khichdi, Dahi-Chura, Pongal, Undhiyu, Pitha, and Makara Chaula are staple festive dishes.
🔸Traditional Attire & Customs: Banarasi, Kanjivaram, Bomkai, Baluchari, and Muga silk sarees reflect regional diversity.
🔸Festivities & Fun: Kite flying in Gujarat, bonfires in Punjab & Assam, Kolam in Tamil Nadu, and fairs across states.
🔸Community & Family: Ritual baths, Puja, and feasts reinforce gratitude, unity, and cultural heritage.
🔸Pan-India Variations: Each state celebrates uniquely, yet all embody the shared spirit of Indian tradition and harvest gratitude.
Makara Sankranti beautifully showcases India’s unity in diversity, blending regional traditions, festive foods, and vibrant attire. From the kite-filled skies of Gujarat to the Kolam-decorated homes of Tamil Nadu, every celebration honors the Sun god and the harvest season, reinforcing gratitude, community, and prosperity. Exploring these state-wise customs reveals the rich cultural heritage and timeless spiritual practices that continue to connect generations across India.
Celebrate the spirit of Makara Sankranti at home explore sacred books, traditional art, and ethnic attire at Exotic India Art to enrich your festive experience.
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