Key Features of Makara Sankranti:
Spiritual Significance: It symbolizes new beginnings, prosperity, and the end of winter solstice. Devotees take holy dips in rivers like the Ganges, Yamuna, or Godavari to cleanse their sins and seek blessings.
Harvest Celebration: As an agrarian festival, it is associated with gratitude for a bountiful harvest. Farmers rejoice as it marks the end of the Rabi crop season.
Cultural Variations:
- In Tamil Nadu, it is celebrated as Pongal, with offerings of sweet rice to the Sun God.
- In Punjab, it is known as Lohri, focusing on bonfires and folk songs.
- In Assam, the festival is called Magh Bihu, involving feasts, games, and traditional dances.
- In Maharashtra, people exchange sesame seeds and jaggery, symbolizing harmony and goodwill.
- In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, offerings of sugarcane, coconuts, and turmeric are made, and kite flying is common.
Kite Flying: In many parts of India, especially Gujarat and Rajasthan, colorful kites dot the sky as a symbol of freedom and joy.
Traditional Foods: Special dishes made from sesame, jaggery, rice, and lentils are prepared, including tilgul, pongal, and puran poli.
Makara Sankranti embodies unity in diversity, bringing people together to celebrate nature, family, and the spirit of giving.