Makar Sankranti: Meaning & Significances

The word 'Sankranti' signifies the movement of the sun from one zodiac sign to another. On Makar Sankranti, the sun enters the sun-sign of Capricorn or Makara (the Indian rashi). Therefore the name of the festival literally means the movement of the sun into Capricorn. As per Puranic Granths, Lord Sun visits the house of his son Shani who is the Lord of Makar Rashi.

As Makar Sankranti is one of the oldest solstice festivals and falls on the equinox, day and night on this day are believed to be equally long. Post the festival, it is officially the beginning of spring or the onset of Indian summer and the days become longer, and nights shorter.

Most Hindu festivals follow the position of the moon and are based on the lunar calendar. Thus, the dates of festivals change every year. But Makar Sankranti is a festival which falls on the same day every year as it follows the solar calender. However, once every eighty years, due to revolution, the day is postponed by one day. Makar Sankranti is celebrated on the 14th of January every year (sometimes on the 15th) for now. From 2050, it is predicted that the festival will fall on the 15th January (and occasionally on the 16th).

Though extremely popular as Makar Sankranti, the festival is predominantly a harvest festival and is celebrated throughout India, from north to south and east to west. While Makar Sankranti is most popular in West India, down south, the festival is known as Pongal and in the north, it is celebrated as Lohri. Uttarayan, Maghi, Khichdi are some other names of the same festival.

Salutations and adorations to the Supreme Lord, the primordial power that divided the year into the four seasons. Salutations to Surya, the Sun God, who on this great day of Makar Sankranti embarks on his northward journey (Uttarayana). The sun, symbolizing wisdom, divine knowledge and spiritual light, which receded from you when you reveled in the darkness of ignorance, delusion and sensuality, now joyously turns on its northward course and moves towards you to shed its light and warmth in greater abundance, and to infuse into you more life and energy.

Seekers of Truth, aspirants on the path of Yoga, devotees of God, lovers of mankind, all these have to pay tribute to the supreme father of energy, vital, which is Surya. 'Suryah pratyaksha devata' (The Sun is the visible God). If you have any visible God, it is the Sun before you. You cannot see God in His pristine excellence, but you can see God through the operation of his powers in nature. So, this particular day, we call Makara Sankranti, is holy.

- Swami Krishnananda

The sun signifies knowledge, spiritual light and wisdom. Makar Sankranti signifies that we should turn away from the darkness of delusion in which we live, and begin to joyously let the light within us shine brighter and brighter. We should gradually begin to grow in purity, wisdom, and knowledge, even as the sun does from this day.

- Swami Sivananda

In Jagannath Temple at Puri,  Makar Sankranti festival is observed as Utarayan Jatra ( Yatra ) and Uttrayan Vandapana . Lord Jagannath, Ballvadra & Subhadra dressed in a costumes of Makar Chaurashi Besha, the triad wears Makara Chula (a sort of head-gear). Makar Chaaula, a special kind of sweet dish prepared with newly harvested rice,  jaggery, grated coconut, banana, chenna ( cheese ), Khua, various fruits, dry fruit and milk . Makara chaaula is taken around the Temple in a procession, which is called Makara Bedha. For Makar Niti Triad decorated by the flower given by odiya math, makar chula given by Jagannath Ballav Math, Taada from Alam Chandi Mandir.