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Makar Sankraanti

This is the only Hindoo festival which is solely linked to the Solar calendar. It always falls on January 13 or 14. Otherwise all Hindoo festivals are observed according to Lunar calendar (Tithi).

The astrologers around the world imagine the Earth's orbit to be a belt (Westerners call it a Zodiac) around the Sun and divide it into 12 segments. Hindoo call each part a Raashi (Sign). When the Earth crosses from one Raashi to another Raashi, this phenomenon is called Sankraanti. Thus, there are 12 Sankraanti in one Solar year. For example when the Earth moves from Dhanu (Sagittarius) Raashi to Makar (Capricorn) Raashi, this even is called Makar Sankraanti. According to Hindoo astrologers, this happens 23 or 24 days after Winter Solace (December 21).

Because a Solar year consists of 365.25 days, the quarter day difference is corrected by having a Leap year every four years. This is the reason, Makar Sankraanti can fall in the morning of 14th January instead of the 13th January. According to Western astrology, Makar Sankraanti takes place on December 21 (Winter Solace) and Makar Raashi ends January 19.

For all the Hindoo people, this is the day to take bath in Trivenee (Sangam of three rivers at Ilaahaabaad - Gangaa, Yamunaa and Saraswatee). Every year tens of thousands of people take a dip here. Every 12 years hundreds of thousands people try to do it. This 12 yearly event is called Maagh Melaa (Maagh Fair).

This day is celebrated with great fanfare in Tamilnaadu, Aandhra Pradesh and parts of Karnaatak where it is called Pongal. It is a three day festival, starting one day earlier and ending one day later. In Tamilnaadu the first day is called Bhogee Pongal, the second day Soorya Pongal and the third day Muttu Pongal. The name Pongal is derived from a special rice dish eaten on these three days.

In Panjaab, it is celebrated as Lohadee. On this day sesame seed (Til) is considered auspicious, so people make sesame seed sweets and offer to guests and Braahman.

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