Makar Sankranti 2021 - Date, Significance & Celebration in India

 


As we all know that Makar Sankranti is one of the significant Hindu festivals of India and is celebrated with a lot of zeal throughout the country. Makar Sankranti is celebrated on 14th January every year. It is not just a religious celebration but also marks the winter solstice when the shift of the sun leads to longer days.

The day of Makar Sankranti is also known as Maghi, which marks the first day of the sun entering the Makara Rashi. This festival is celebrated in different parts of the country with different names and rituals. Depending upon the region it is getting celebrated all the festivities in Makar Sankranti have many names. During this day, the devotees take a holy dip in rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, Krishna, Godavari and Cauvery. It is believed that taking a dip in these rivers on Makar Sankranti washes away all the sins as it is the time of peace and prosperity. For the farmers, celebrating Makar Sankranti means celebrating the end of the harvesting season. That is why, it is also known as the harvest festival. On this day, farmers thank the Sun God for the harvest.

History of Makar Sankranti

There are several stories related to Makar Sankranti. One of the stories states that on this day Lord Surya visits his son Lord Shani, who is the ruling planet of the sun sign Capricorn. It is said that their relationship had many differences. But on this day Lord Surya visits his son despite the differences which denote the celebration of the healthy relationship.
Another story is about Bhisma Pitamah (from Mahabharata). He was the person born with a boon of choosing his death time. So, when he was lying injured on the arrow beds in the Kurukshetra war, he waited for the Makar Sankranti as his time of death.

How Makar Sankranti is celebrated?

Makar Sankranti is celebrated with utmost happiness in every part of the country. From this day the day time gradually starts increasing. The festival begins with the people getting ready in their traditional outfits and performing Makar Sankranti Puja or rituals. After the Puja, sesame and jaggery laddoos or chikkis and rice are distributed to everyone in the form of Prasad. The Rice signifies abundance and prosperity after the harvest season and the sweets signify that people should stay together in peace. On the day of Makar Sankranti fairs are also organized, some of which are quite famous like Magha Mela in Allahabad, Ganga Sagar Mela in West Bengal and others.

Conclusion

This auspicious festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated differently across India. But one thing which is common for everybody is presenting some gift to your loved ones. This Makar Sankranti, tell your loved ones how happy you are to have them with a gift that will bring a smile to their faces. So, if you are looking to buy some thoughtful gifts for your friends and relatives, you can check out different Indian online shopping websites. They even offer you exclusive discounts and offers during the festive season.

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