Makar Sankranti (15th January 2024)

1. Makar Sankranti is celebrated in India as well as many other countries across the world

Makar Sankranti is one of the important Hindu festivals. Although this goes by various names in different States in India and is celebrated a little differently, the core concept remains the same. Makar Sankranti – the festival of the Sun at its core – is also celebrated as the harvest festival and the festival dedicated to farmers.

It is called Pongal in Tamil Nadu, (Magha) Bihu in Assam, Khichdi Parva in Uttar Pradesh, and Makar Sankranti or simply Sankranti in the rest of India. It is also celebrated fervently in other countries such as Nepal, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Sri Lanka.

2. Why does Makar Sankranti fall on the 14^th / 15^th of January every year ?

The Sun enters the Zodiac sign of Capricorn (Makar Rashi) on this day, hence, it is called Makar Sankranti. Uttarayan (The northward movement of the Sun or the period of winter solstice) begins on this auspicious day. The period from Karka Sankranti (When the Sun enters the Zodiac sign of Cancer [Karka Rashi]) to Makar Sankranti is called Dakshinayan. Hence, in some places, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Uttarayani.

Makar Sankranti marks the upward movement of the Sun away from the Tropic of Capricorn from the Southern Hemisphere towards the Northern Hemisphere. Makar Sankranti is postponed by a day every 80 years to compensate for the difference caused by the Sun’s revolution. The festival of Makar Sankranti, unlike many other Hindu festivals, is not dependent on the tithi (Position of the Moon) but on the position of the Sun. Therefore, the day of Makar Sankranti is relatively static; for the past few years, it has been on 15^th of January.

3. The significance of worshipping the Sun during Makar Sankranti

The Sun usually influences all the Zodiac signs. Moreover, the Sun’s movement into the Capricorn and the Cancer signs is very beneficial from the spiritual point of view. This transition takes place once every six months. India is in the Northern Hemisphere. The Sun continues to move towards the Southern Hemisphere before Makar Sankranti; hence, the days get shorter and the nights longer. This trend changes from Makar Sankranti since the Sun starts its northward movement towards the Northern Hemisphere, and hence, after Makar Sankranti, the days get longer and longer and nights shorter and shorter. Since days get longer, everything gets exposed to more sunlight. In addition, shorter nights lead to less darkness. Hence, as the Sun enters the Zodiac sign of Capricorn on Makar Sankranti, this festival of the Sun is also called the festival that leads from darkness to light. More (Sun) light expands consciousness and boosts productivity. Therefore, people across our country express their gratitude and worship the Sun, chant His Name, express their devotion, etc.

4. There are many reasons for celebrating Makar Sankranti; some prominent ones are given here :

A. According to the Puranas (The eighteen sacred Holy texts compiled by Sage Vyas), on the day of Makar Sankranti, the Sun visits the house of his son – Saturn, and stays there for a month. As Saturn rules the Capricorn sign, it is believed that during his stay, the Sun fills his son’s storehouse.

B. According to Astrology, the Sun and Saturn are not compatible with each other. In fact, they are considered enemies. However, on the day of Makar Sankranti, the Sun tries to work on a better relationship with Saturn.

C. According to legend, on the day of Makar Sankranti, Shri Vishnu proclaimed that the battle with demons Madhu and Kaitabha was over. Shri Vishnu had placed Mount Mandar on Madhu’s shoulder, and suppressed him forever. Hence, from this day, Shri Vishnu also came to be known as Madhusudan.

D. According to our Scriptures, King Bhagiratha, who brought the Holy River Ganga from the higher regions onto the Earth, performed the ritual of tarpan on this day to bring peace to his departed ancestors. After receiving his tarpan, River Ganga merged with the ocean on this day. Hence, a spiritual gathering is held at Gangasagar (in Bengal) every year on the day of Makar Sankranti.

E. According to another legend, Durga Devi had placed Her feet on Earth on the day of Makar Sankranti to kill Mahishasura.

F. During the battle of Mahabharata, Bhishma Pitamaha renounced his body on this day after being on the deathbed of arrows for nearly fifty days. If a person dies during Uttarayan, his subtle body travels to higher (positive) regions or takes birth on mortal Earth. When a person dies in Dakshinayan, chances are higher that his subtle body will travel to lower (negative) regions (or Yamalok) in comparison with someone who dies in Uttarayan. Makar Sankranti marks the beginning of Uttarayan.

G. According to another legend, Deity Shiva showered His blessings on His devotees, especially Sages, on the day of Makar Sankranti.

5. The significance of Makar Sankranti

A. Once the Sun begins its northward movement (Uttarayan), the auspicious period when the Deities perform spiritual practice at the Brahma-muhurt begins. This is known as a period to attain the ‘Para’ and ‘Apara Vidya’. This period is called siddhikal (A period when one fulfils the spiritual goal) of sadhana (Spiritual practice). Therefore, people get engaged in various sacred rituals in this period.

B. Importance of Makar Sankranti from the point of view of spiritual practice : From sunrise to sunset on this day, the atmosphere is charged with Chaitanya (Divine consciousness). As a result, those who perform spiritual practice benefit immensely.

6. How should one celebrate Makar Sankranti ?

A. A Holy dip in the Sacred Rivers is highly meritorious on this day : The period from sunrise to sunset on this day is considered ‘Punya kaal’ or an auspicious period. Ritualistic bath has special significance in this Punya kaal. Those who take a Holy dip in Sacred Rivers such as Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Krushna and Kaveri, get spiritual benefits.

B. Donation : The Scriptures consider Dakshinayan as the night of Deities, and hence, a symbol of negativity; while Uttarayan as the day of Deities, and hence, a symbol of positivity. Therefore, religious rituals such as chanting, penance, donation, and performing shraddha and tarpan, have special importance on this day.

Any donation in this auspicious period certainly helps beget merits; the donor gets rewards commensurate to his generous act. Hence, Scriptures advise us to donate ghee, blankets, new glasses or vessels, clothes, food items, sesame seeds, sesame seed pots, jaggery, cows, horses, gold or land to the best of our ability. Married women gift certain items to other married women. They donate items to kumarikas (Young girls who are virgins and have not attained puberty) and offer them tilgul (A sweet made from jaggery and sesame seeds). The act of offering haldi & kumkum as a gift is prevalent in Maharashtra.

Taking a Holy dip in the River Ganga and donating on the banks of Ganga is considered immensely beneficial. A ritualistic bath in Gangasagar and Tirtharaj Prayag is considered ‘Maha snan’. The period between Makar Sankranti and Rath Saptami is considered a ‘Parva kaal’ (A benevolent period). Any donation and other deeds fetch special rewards.

C. The significance of sesame seeds : On Makar Sankranti, sesame seeds can be used in many ways, such as bathing in water with sesame seeds, consuming sesame seed laddus, donating sesame seeds to Brahmans, donating sesame oil lamps to Shiva temples, performing the ritual of Pitru-shraddha for the departed ancestors and offering tilanjali, etc.

D. Sesame seeds and purification of sins : Vishnu Dharmasutra says – Six types of application of sesame seeds help the souls of departed ancestors to move to higher regions, maintain their health and bring about the overall welfare of society and thus help the individual get rid of all sins. Therefore, the one who applies sesame oil and sesame ubtan to his body bathes with sesame seeds water, drinks sesame seeds water, performs Yajna with sesame seeds as the object of sacrifice and donates sesame seeds, becomes eligible to get rid of his sins and its negative consequences.

D1. The significance of sesame seeds according to Ayurveda : Consuming sesame seeds near Makar Sankranti in the winters has immense health benefits.

D2. The significance of sesame seeds according to the science of Spirituality : Sesame seeds have a greater ability to absorb the Sattva (One of the three basic components in the Universe) vibrations. Hence, the consumption of sesame seed laddus purifies the mind and makes spiritual practice smooth.

(Ref.: Vedic Upasana Peeth, Year 1)

Rituals such as chanting, penance, donation, shraddha and tarpan, have special importance on Makar Sankranti !