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Makar Sankranti - also well known as the festival of Kites or harvest festival
Makar Sankranti is celebrated by the Hindus.
Makar Sankranti is celebrated on 14th of January according to the solar calendar and according to the Hindu calendar it is celebrated in the month of Magha
Significances:
Makar Sankranti is one of the harvest festivals of India. Makar Sankranti is the day when the Sun begins its journey of Northern hemisphere. Makar means Capricorn and Sankranti is a Sanskrit word that means transmigration of sun from one Rashi to another Rashi that is from Dhanu Rashi to Makar Rashi. Every month there is a Sankranti during this period the sun moves from one zodiac sign to another zodiac sign. All together there are 12 Sankranti but out of these there are two which are the most important. The Mesh Sankranti is the main one that is the Aries and the other one is the Makar Sankranti that is the Capricorn.
Legends say that the Sun-god visits his son Shani's house, he is known as the swami of Makar Rashi. The relation of the father and son is not so compatible but besides this the father takes the struggle to meet the son on this day. Father stays at his son's house for a month. This shows the importance of the unique relationship between the father and the son.
On this day Uttarayana starts 'day' of Devatas and while Dakshinayana is the 'Night' of Devatas. Hence most of the fortunate things are carried on this great day. It is on this day lord Vishnu finished the ever increasing violence of Asuras by just killing them and burying their heads under Mandar Hills.
Celebration of Makar Sankranti
Makar Sankranti is celebrated in different ways in different states of India
Maharashtra
In Maharashtra on this day people exchange tilguds; these are multi-colored and made from til and jaggery-til ladoo. People invite their relatives for lunch as they offer tilguds. Exchange of tilguds is just a token of love and goodwill greets for the other person by saying 'til-gul ghay, god god bola' this means that' by accepting this tilguds speak sweet like this tilguds. This is also special day for all the married woman as they get together that is called as the 'haldi-kunkum and in return they give utensils as a return gift.
Punjab
In Punjab this festival is celebrated by making a bone-fire as the festival comes in the month of January, during this period it is very cold in Punjab. In Punjab it is also known as 'Lohari'. On this bone fire sugarcane, sweet and wheat are thrown and all the relatives and friends are gathered around. People enjoy dancing the favorite style Bhangra and this fun goes for the whole night.
Uttar Pradesh
In Uttar Pradesh people celebrate this festival by taking a holy dip in the holy river this is considered as the most auspicious here. The 'Magha-Mela' is a one- month long mela and this is the biggest mela of the year. This mela is held at Allahabad especially for this occasion.
Traditional food
In India as festival arrives, it is time to cook delicious dishes and enjoying the delicacies. The most tradition dishes made for Sankranti are Ariselu, Bandaru ladoo and Kajji-Kaayalu.
In Makar Sankranti the sun symbolizes wisdom, knowledge and spiritual light. This festival means that we should always turn towards the bright light that is within us and not towards the darkness.
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