The festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs in India.
Makar Sankranti is a Hindu festival that celebrates the sun’s movement into the zodiac sign of Capricorn. It is celebrated across India, but has different names in different regions. The festival takes place between January 14th and February 15th each year. The exact date varies depending on the Hindu calendar, which has 12 months of 30 days each, making it shorter than the Gregorian calendar.
Hindus celebrate Makar Sankranti by offering prayers to Agni, the god of fire. They believe that Agni helps to remove all obstacles from their path during the coming year. People also visit temples to offer prayers to their favourite gods and goddesses.
What is Makar Sankranti?
“Makara” means “fish” in Sanskrit, while “Sankranti” means “transition”. Together they form a name for this Hindu festival that celebrates a transition from one season to another.
“Why is Makar Sankranti celebrated?”
The celebration of Makar Sankranti comes at a time when many farmers are preparing for spring planting season. It’s also when people begin celebrating festivals such as Lohri (in Punjab) and Pongal (in Tamil Nadu). The timing is no coincidence; farmers need good weather so they can plant their crops and harvest them successfully before the onset of summer heat.
