Makara Sankranti & Pongal

Sun is the source of life on Earth — be it physical, mental or spiritual. The closest image to mankind with a divinity, people worship Sun as the God of Light on Makara Sankranti day. Sankranti (Sankramana) means movement. The festival is considered to be the festival of the movement of Sun. When it enters 12 Zodiac signs in each month, it is called Masa Sankranti. Of these 12 Masa Sankranti, two of them are considered auspicious as they represent the movement of Sun to two different ayanas — Uttarayana and Dakshinayana. Movement of Sun from Karkataka to Dhanu is called Dakshinayana and Makara to Mithuna is known as Uttarayana. Both are auspicious as they bring good results. This festival is celebrated for a period of 3 days in some parts of the country. It is also associated with agriculture since this comes during the period of harvesting in the countryside. Bhogi (Pausa Krishna Tritiya) which falls on January 13, is the previous day of the festival when people cook delicious food and sweets at home and the whole family gets together to enjoy the same. Makara Sankranti (Pongal — Pausa Krishna Chaturhi) falls on January 14. This day morning, people get up early in the morning, take bath and light the lamp with gingelly oil. It is also the festival of sesame and jaggery. Mixture of white sesame, groundnut, fried gram and pieces of dry coconut is made. Along with this, sugarcane, banana and sugar blocks are offered to the God and later distributed among the family members. A sweet called Pongal — rice cooked with jaggery along with dry fruits and ghee — is also prepared. They also bake the new harvest of raw groundnut, raw ballar (avarekayi) and sweet potato. In the evening, all in the family wear new clothes and distribute sesame mixture to neighbours, friends and relatives. It is a practice to cultivate the habit of giving in the minds of children and also to lead a better social life. People also pay oblations to their ancestors on this day. Mattu Pongal (Pausha Krishna Panhami) is on January 15. On this day, farmers wash their cattle and bullocks and decorate them with colour papers and ribbons. They also adorn them in colourful clothes and worship them.