Sankranti Essay - Date History Names Tradition Kite flying

Most Most of Hindu festivals follow the position of the moon & their dates are based on the lunar calendar. Thats why the dates of Hindu festivals like Diwali, Rakhi, Holi change every year.
Makar Sankranti is a yearly festival that always falls on the same day, based on the solar calendar.
Every eighty years, Makarsankranti falls on Jan 15 due to a one-day postponement caused by revolution.
Usually, Makar Sankranti is observed on January 14th annually (sometimes on the 15th) until now. Starting from 2050, it is projected that the celebration will shift to January 15th (and occasionally on the 16th).

Before year 2000, internet was not available to everyone and the information about festival was not widely available. So Makarsankranti was celebrated mostly on Ja 14th.
Now the information & facts are available to everyone and it is celebrated on jan 14 or Jan 15.

The New Year in Nepal's Kirat community begins on Makarsankranti day, known as Yele Dhung.
The Kirat calendar began when King Yalamber conquered Kathmandu valley, according to historical evidence.

Makarsankranti is observed under various names in different regions of India and around the globe.

• Makarsankranti in most of India
• Pongal in AP, Tamilnadu
• Makara Sankrama in Karnataka
• Uttarayan in Gujarat
• Kichdi in UP, Bihar, Uttarakhan
• Maghi in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab
• Bhogali Bihu in Assam
• Pongal in Srilanka
• Maghe Sankranti in Nepal
• Songkran in Thailand
• Thingyan in Myanmar
• Moha Sangkran in Combodia
• Pi Ma Lao in Laos

In Andhrapradesha nd Telangana Makarsankranti is 4 day festival.
Day 1 – Bhogi (భోగి) (Andhra & Telangana only)
Day 2 marks the main festival day of Makara Sankranti, also known as మక
Day 3 – Kanuma (కనుమ) (Andhra & Telangana only)
Day 4 — Mukkanuma (Andhra & Telangana only)

Makar Sankranti signifies the commencement of the Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh, India.
In Kerala, the challenging pilgrimage to Shabrimala concludes on this significant day.
In other regions as well, people commemorate by immersing themselves in the sacred rivers that flow through their states to purify their souls of wrongdoing.
It is also believed that if a person die during Makar Sankranti day, person is not reborn but go directly to heaven. According to Mahabharata, Bhishma, who had the power to control his own death, happened to choose to die on the day of Maghe Sakranti (or Makar Sankranti). ince then it is a belief that one to die on this day will achieve Moksha, and will be released from rebirth cycle.

Kite flying is a popular tradition on Makarsankranti, especially in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
The tradition started in old days when Kite-flying was generally done in the early hours of the morning, when the sun's rays were bright but not too harsh.

In addition, while flying kites in the sunlight, the human body was subjected to prolonged sun exposure.
The morning sunlight is believed to be advantageous for both the skin and body.

This is an enjoyable method to engage children in religious festivals while allowing them to reap the benefits of the sun's rays.

In Utarakhan, Himachal Pradesh, it is believed that Makarsakranti marks the beginning of the season when migratory birds start returning to the hills.

On Makarsankranti festival date - day and night are equal.

Legend has it that on Makarsankranti, the Sun God sets aside his anger towards his son Shani and pays him a visit.
It is customary for fathers to visit their sons on Makarsankrant day.

During Lohri and Makar Sankranti, people enjoy Til Gud, Gajjak, Revri, sesame and jaggery
They are usually followed by the phrase, 'Til-gul ghya ani gud gud bola'
Festival fall in winter. This is perfect season to eat Til Gud.

Makarsankranti is special day for the women in Maharashtra.
On this dayn married women are invited for a get-together called ‘Haldi-Kunku’ (literally meaning turmeric -vermillion) and given gifts such as utensils, clothes etc. On this day there is tradition of wearing Black sarees or black coloured outfits on this occasion.
Wearing black during Sankranti is important because it falls during the coldest part of winter, and black clothing is known for retaining and absorbing heat to help stay warm.

Maghe Sankranti is a festival celebrated in Nepal on the first day of the month of Magh in the Bikram Samwat Nepali calendar (around January 14th), marking the end of the inauspicious month of Poush where religious activities are restricted.
Maghe Sankranti marks the day when the sun starts its journey northward from its southernmost position, similar to solstice celebrations in various religions.
Hindus take ritual baths during this festival, at auspicious river locations. These include Sankhamul on the Bagmati near Patan; In the Gandaki/Narayani river basin at Triveni near the Indian border, Devghat near Chitwan Valley and Ridi on the Kaligandaki; and in the Koshi River basin at Dolalghat on the Sun Koshi. Festive foods like laddoo, ghee and sweet potatoes are distributed. The mother of each household wishes good health to all family members.
As per Kirat community Maghe Sankranti denotes start of a new year which is called Yele Dhung. The Kirat calendar began when King Yalamber conquered Kathmandu valley, according to historical evidence.

Sankranti is a word of Sanskrit language and it means transmigration of sun from one to another Rashi. Hence total 12 Sankranti falls a year but Sankranti festival means maker Sankranti when sun transmigrates from Dhanu to Makar Rashi. Makar Sankranti is celebrated on basis of solar calendar so its date remains same for years. It’s celebrated on 14^th January every year. It’s basically a harvest festival and is celebrated with innumerable reasons and ways to celebrate all over the Indian Subcontinent.

The festival is known with many names like Makar Sankranti in Andra Pradesh, Sikkim, Goa, Bihar,Karnataka, Jharkhand, Bihar, Kerala, Orissa, Maharashtra, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh; Uttarayan in Gujarat and Rajasthan; Maghi in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana; Pongal in Tamilnadu, Magh Bihu or Bhogal Bihu in Assam valley; Shishur senkaraat in Kashmir valley; Makar Vilakku in Sabrimala Temple of Kerala.

This festival is celebrated in other countries also with different names like Maghi in Tharu people of Nepal and Maghe Sankranti in other people of Nepal; Songkran in Thailand, Pi Ma Lao in Laos; Thingyan in Myanmar; Moha Sangkran in Cambodia.

Significance of Makar Sankranti:

As we discussed that there are innumerable beliefs behind celebration of this festival; Here are a few of them:

1.    Its believed that Sun(Surya) visits the house of his son Saturn(Shani) on this day and stays for a month.

2.    Its believed that Day and Night for deities are of 6 months and on Makar Sankranti day of Devtas starts so its also called Uttarayana.

On this Day Lord Vishnu ended terror of Asurs and buried their heads under Mandar Parvat. So this day signifies end of all negatives.

On this day Maharaj Bhagirath finally succeded in bringing river Ganga to the earth and performed Tarpan for 60000 suns of maharaj sagar who burnt to ashes at the ashram of Kapil muni. He performed tarpan at Ganga sagar of present day and every year great fair is organised there and thousands of people performs tarpan for their ancestors.