Makar Sankranti / Pongal Description
Makar Sankranti on January 14th marks the sun's transition into the zodiac sign of Capricorn (Makara) and the end of the winter solstice. Unlike most Hindu festivals which follow the lunar calendar, Makar Sankranti follows the solar calendar, giving it a fixed Gregorian date. It is a gazetted holiday in many states. The festival is celebrated under different names across India: Pongal in Tamil Nadu (a four-day harvest festival), Uttarayan in Gujarat (famous for its international kite festival in Ahmedabad), Magh Bihu in Assam, and Lohri in Punjab (celebrated the night before). Traditions include flying kites, preparing sweets from sesame seeds (tilgul) and jaggery, taking holy dips in rivers — especially at the Ganga Sagar confluence in West Bengal — and giving charity (daan). Government offices, banks, and schools close in states where it is a gazetted holiday. Kite flying events in Gujarat attract international visitors. Rural areas celebrate with decorated cattle and harvest festivities. Travel within India is busy during this period, especially to pilgrimage sites.
