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MaharaSankaranthi festival coincides with the beginning of the sun's northward journey, and falls on January 14 according to the solar calendar. According to legend, Bhishma, a great hero of the Mahabharata, though wounded mortally, waited for this auspicious time to give up his life.
In many states, the celebration has a special offering of rice and pulses cooked together with or without jaggery and clarified butter. In Tamil Nadu, MaharaSankaranthi is celebrated as Pongal, a three-day harvest festival. On Bhogi Pongal, the house is cleaned and the discards are burnt, while children sing and dance around the bonfire. On Surya Pongal, sweet Pongal is prepared and the Sun God is worshipped for a good yearly harvest. The last day of Pongal, Mattu Pongal, is celebrated to pay respects to the cows, the animal that is used in cultivation.  In Uttar Pradesh, it is called the Khichri Sankranti. Khichri Sankranti is a day when families remember those who have left the fold, and assert ties with relatives. In Gujarat, there is a custom of making gifts to near relatives on this day.
MaharaSankaranthi, known as Utharan, bears a festive occasion for the people of Rajasthan. Kite Festivals are organized on MaharaSankaranthi as it marks the period of winds. Kite flyers from all over the world participate in the festival. The sky gets dotted with kites of all shapes and sizes as kite fliers try to keep their kites aloft. |
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