Article on Makar Sankranti

Article on Makar Sankranti: Makar Sankranti is a significant festival celebrated with great interest in the Hindu religion. It is celebrated either on the 14th or 15th of January every year. Makar Sankranti is celebrated throughout the country with different names, customs and identities. People usually celebrate this festival by dancing, singing and eating sweets. A special delicacy is made with sesame seeds and jaggery. People also fly kites on this day and enjoy it with their family. Writing an article on Makar Sankranti allows us to explore the rich cultural significance and colorful celebrations of this joyous festival.

Why is Makar Sankranti Celebrated?

Makar Sankranti marks the transition of the sun from Sagittarius Zodiac to Capricorn. Since this transition of the sun vaguely coincides with moving from South to North, this festival, Makar Sankranti, is dedicated to the solar deity. Also, this festival marks a new beginning. This festival is celebrated and enjoyed in multiple ways all over India.

Makar Sankranti is also known by different names in different states. A few of the alternative names of the festival Makar Sankranti are:

• Uttarayana
• Sankranti
• Til Sakraat
• Magha
• Môkôr Sôṅkrānti
• Mela
• Ghughuti
• Bhogi
• Sakraat
• Pongal

Makar Sankranti Festival

This article below discusses the Makar Sankranti Festival. But before we move ahead, let’s look at the basic information regarding the Makar Sankranti festival.

Makar Sankranti Festival
Type	Religious, cultural and harvesting festival
Significance of Makar Sankranti	A harvest festival to celebrate the winter solstice
Celebration	Kite flying, bonfires, fairs, Surya Puja, art, dance, singing, feasts, and Gau Puja
Date	First day of Makar masa (14th or 15th January)
Frequency	Annual

Makar Sankranti in English

Makar Sankranti is celebrated differently across the nation. Many people dip in holy water like Ganga Sagar and pray to the Sun deity (Surya). Makar Sankranti is also celebrated with pomp in southern India as Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka (Pongal in Tamil Nadu). In northern states like Punjab, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Maghi.

Many melas or fairs are held on Makar Sankranti nationwide.

• The most famous fair is the Kumbha Mela. It is held every 12 years at one of four holy locations: Haridwar, Prayag (Prayagraj), Ujjain and Nashik.
• The Magha Mela is held annually at Prayag.
• Also, the Gangasagar Mela is held at the head of the Ganges River.
• Makar Mela is celebrated in Odisha.
• Tusu Mela, also known as Tusu Porab, is celebrated in many parts of Jharkhand and West Bengal.
• Poush Mela is held traditionally on the seventh day of Poush at Shantiniketan in West Bengal. It is unrelated to this festival.
• Mela Maghi is held in memory of the forty Sikh martyrs (Chalis Mukte). These Sikhs are the ones who gave their lives to protect Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of Sikhism. It is celebrated every year at Muktsar Sahib in Punjab.

Article on Makar Sankranti- Importance of Sankranti

According to the Hindu religion, the Makar Sankranti festival is dedicated to the Sun deity. It is considered to be an important auspicious day because of its astrological significance. As per Hindu astrology, Makar Sankranti is a specific solar day that marks the sun’s entry into the Capricorn zodiac. Makar Sankranti also marks the end of winter months in India. After this day, the winter days start to become a little bit longer, and the winter nights start to become a little bit shorter.
Also, Makar Sankranti is marked as the last day of the month of Posh, and it is followed by the beginning of the month of Magha, in reference to the Indian calendar. Also, it is observed that after the day of Makar Sankranti, the sun starts moving towards the north. This specific movement is referred to as Uttarayan. Therefore, Makar Sankranti is also known as Uttarayan.

10 lines on Makar Sankranti festival in English for Kids

Below are 10 lines on the Makar Sankranti festival in English for Kids.

• Makar Sankranti is celebrated throughout the nation on 14 January every year.
• The festival is famous for flying kites. One can witness a sky filled with beautiful and colourful kites on this day.
• Kumbh Mela is also organised to celebrate this festival once every 12 years. Minions of people visit Prayagraj to witness this huge Mela and take a bath in the river Ganga.
• People make delicious sweets of til and jaggery on this day.
• People also celebrate Makar Sankranti with different names in different states of India.
• People celebrate his festival as Pongal in South India, Magh Bihu in Assam and Khichdi in Bihar.
• From the day of Makar Sankranti, the winter season begins to fade, and the day becomes longer.
• Makar Sankranti also marks the beginning of harvest season in India.
• In Nepal, Makar Sankranti is celebrated with the name Maghe Sankranti.

The Makar Sankranti festival is dedicated to the Sun god, whose heat and light support life on earth.

Why is Makar Sankranti celebrated?

Makar Sankranti, as a festival has cultural roots which go deep into Indian mythology. According to Indian Mythology, there lived a powerful god named Sankranti. He defeated a demon named Sankarasur to cherish this win, Makar Sankranti is celebrated. The mention of Makar Sankranti in Panchang, the Hindu Almanac, can be noted. This Almanac informs us about the clothing age, form, direction, and Sankranti’s movement.

Also, people in the northern part of the country take dips in the holy water of rivers like Ganga, Godavari, Krishna, and Yamuna while chanting mantras. They do this every year for spiritual and religious upliftment. According to astrology, the Sun enters all the zodiac signs, but its entry in the signs of Cancer and Capricorn are deemed the most fruitful periods. And on Makar Sankranti, the sun enters into the Capricorn zodiac. Hence, this day is considered auspicious and is celebrated.

Article on Makar Sankranti: FAQs

What is Sankranti?

Sankranti is also known as Pongal. This is the celebration of the harvest coming to an end. In the West, this is commonly known as the harvest festival or Thanksgiving festival.

What is Makar Sankranti for class 8?

Makar Sankranti marks the transition of the sun from Sagittarius Zodiac to Capricorn. Since this transition of the sun vaguely coincides with moving from South to North, this festival, Makar Sankranti, is dedicated to the solar deity

Is Makar Sankranti a good day?

Yes, Makar Sankranti is considered an auspicious and propitious day in Indian culture. It holds cultural and religious significance and is believed to usher in favorable times, symbolizing the transition from darkness to light, from winter to spring, and from ignorance to enlightenment. It's celebrated with enthusiasm, joy, and various festivities across India, signifying a time of new beginnings, prosperity, and unity.

What is the festival Makar Sankranti paragraph?

Makar Sankranti, observed on January 14th, is a festival that heralds the change of seasons as the sun enters the zodiac sign of Capricorn. It marks the end of the winter solstice and the onset of longer, brighter days. Across India, this harvest festival is celebrated with vibrant traditions such as kite flying, colorful gatherings, and indulging in sweets made of jaggery and sesame seeds. It's a time for new beginnings, fostering unity, and embracing the spirit of generosity and appreciation.

What is the reason behind celebrating Makar Sankranti?

Makar Sankranti is celebrated to mark the transition of the sun into the zodiac sign of Capricorn (Makar). It signifies the end of the winter solstice and the beginning of longer days, heralding the arrival of spring. This auspicious festival holds cultural significance, representing a period of new beginnings, prosperity, and the harvest season. People observe Makar Sankranti with various traditions, including kite flying, feasting on traditional sweets, and engaging in charitable activities, symbolizing unity and gratitude.