Wishes for Makar Sankranti
Best wishes for Makar Sankranti to all! This is the first festival of each calendar year in India. The tradition is beautiful and is of great significance. Makar Sankranti resembles the first day of the sun’s transit into Capricorn (zodiac sign) also known as Makara. This means end of winter and shorter days and beginning of warm and longer days in India.
You must be knowing that most of the Hindu festivals are marked with the lunar cycle while Makar Sankranti is the only Hindu festival which follows the solar cycle. Therefore, it falls on almost same date of the Gregorian Calendar too, that is 14th of January every year.
In India, Makar Sankranti is celebrated widely but with different names region to region. Some of the famous festival names state wise are as below:
- Kashmir – Shishur Saenkraat
- Punjab – Lohri
- Maharashtra and Haryana – Maghi Sankrant
- UP and Bihar – Khichdi Parv
- Bengal – Poush Songkranti
- Gujarat – Uttarayan
- Assam – Magh/Bhogali Bihu
- Odisha – Makara Chaula
- Karnataka – Suggi Habba
- Tamilnadu – Thai Pongal
The beauty of the festival is full of sweet dishes and snacks, bonfires and picnic. I shall try to discuss some of the famous festivals in details and quotes and wishes for Makar Sankranti.
10 fresh Quote wishes for Makar Sankranti
1. ““Welcome Sankranti, Thank God for the end of winter and Bless us with a good harvest”.
2. “The Sun God, thank you”.
3. “Wish you all a happy Pongal, pray to God for prosperity and enjoy the delicious dishes”.
4. “Happy Bhogali Bihu to all, may the warmth of the Sun bring good to you”.
5. “Wish you all a happy Lohri, enjoy to the fullest and wish for the best”.
6. “Happy Poush Sankranti, may God Bless you all with health, wealth and prosperity”.
7. “Happy Uttarayan, may your kite fly high like you”.
8. “Wish you all a happy Makar Sankranti, may God bless all with good health and prosperity”.
9. “The new year welcomes Makar Sankranti, happy Bihu, happy Pongal and happy Lohri to all”.
10. “We waited one long year for this day, happy Makar Sankranti to all”.
image credit: 123rf.com, Original quotes- Shibajee Dey Choudhury
Famous regional names and celebration specialities for Makar Sankranti
Lohri festival of Punjab, India
Lohri is the celebration of the arrival of longer days after the winter solstice. It is told that in ancient times Lohri used to be celebrated in the end of traditional month when winter solstice occurs. Lohri celebrates the end of short winter days and beginning of longer days.
Lohri festival is celebrated with mass village bonfires. It is said to be believed that the flames of the bonfire carry prayers of the people to the Sun God to bring warmth to the planet to help crops grow. The prayers are prized by God with end of winter and warmth for good crop harvest.
Bihu festival of Assam, India
The month of January–February is called Magh in Northeast India. Bihu resembles Bishu (a Sanskrit word ) which means “ Pray for prosperity from the Gods during the harvesting season.” This also resembles end of winter and seek blessings for a good harvest of crops. There are several occasions over the year where Bihu is celebrated. In January Bihu is called Maag Bihu or Bhogali Bihu.
The celebrations include number of dishes called Pithas using coconut, rice flour, wheat floor, jaggery, puffed rice, semolina, etc. The food also contains rice cooked in bamboos, curd with jaggery and rice flakes, etc. Arrangements are done for whole night picnics and morning bonfire after a early bath.
Poush Sankranti, festival of West Bengal, India
Makar Sankranti is popularly known as Poush Sankranti in West Bengal. The name Poush is after the Bengali calendar of mid January to mid February called Poush Maash. This Sankranti advents the start of Poush month. The celebrations include many food dishes called pithas.
Each year, West Bengal celebrates Ganga Sagar Mela during Poush Sankranti. This is the place where the sacred river Ganga merges with the sea (The Bay of Bengal). Every year the devotees take a dip in the holy waters of the river and take part in the festivities. They perform the Aarti and offer their prayers to God. This day is also significant for farmers on their prayers to the Sun God for a rich yield.
Uttarayan, festival of Gujrat, India
Makar Sankranti in Gujrat region is known as Uttarayan. It marks the day when winter begins to turn into summer, according to the Indian calendar. Uttarayan means moving toward North, that resembles northward movement of the earth on the celestial sphere. This day is taken as a sign for the farmers that the Sun and warm days are back for a good harvest season, also called Maha Sankranti.
This festival Uttarayan is celebrated by flying Kites. It’s like a kite festival where walls and streets of cities are converted into colourful sketches of kites and majas. Manja means the control system of a kite. The traditional Gujrati food dishes include Undhiyu, Jalebi, Chikki, Bor, Lilva ni Kachori, etc.
Pongal, festival of Tamil Nadu, India
Makar Sankranti in Tamil Nadu is called Pongal. Pongal is a four-day-long harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu, which falls in the month of Thai (that is, the January-February season) when crops are to be harvested. The term ‘Pongal’ in Tamil means “to boil”, and this festival is celebrated as a “thanksgiving” ceremony for the year’s harvest.
The various dishes include dishes made of rice flour an dcocunut mainly. Sweet Pongal is the most important dish prepared in Pongal. It is made out of harvested rice and offered to the Sun God on the first day of Pongal festival. It is a tasty dish prepared using jaggery, ghee, and dry fruits.
Summary
This is evident that all the regions may use different names and foods for the festival but the basic reason of the festival is same. All regions offer prayers to God for a good crop harvest on end of winter and start of summer in India. The food dishes are somewhat similar as rice, coconut, jaggery are mostly common while some different dishes are also prepared based on the regional traditions.
I, with my family have planned and prepared some dishes for this Sankranti. Will share the photographs. While you can have a look at some of the tasty and easy dishes at www.shaadranna.in .
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