Makar Sankranthi, or Sankranti is a popular Indian festival. It is
celebrated in many parts of the country and also in some other parts of
the world with great zeal and enthusiasm. It is a harvest festival which
is basically celebrated in the Hindu communities. In Indian, the states
of Bihar, Bengal, Punjab, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Tamil
Nadu celebrate the festival with great fervor and gusto.In Tamil Nadu
the festival is known as Pongal, in Assam as Bhogali Bihu, in Punjab, as
Lohiri, in Gujarat and Rajasthan, as Uttararayan. Outside India, the
festival is given due importance in the countries like Nepal where it is
celebrated as Maghe Sakrati or Maghi, in Thailand where it is named as
Songkran and in Myanmar where it is called Thingyan.
The festival of Makar Sankranti marks the day when the sun begins its
northward journey and enters the sign of Makar (the Capricorn) from the
Tropic of Cancer. It is like the movement of sun from Dakshinayana
(south) to Uttarayana (north) hemisphere. It is the one of the few
chosen Indian Hindu festivals which has a fixed date. This day falls on
the 14th of January every year according to the Hindu Solar Calendar.
The festival is considered to be a day from where onwards all the
auspicious ritualistic ceremonies can be solemnized in any Hindu family.
This is thus considered as the holy phase of transition.
Shankranti means transmigration of Sun from one zodiac in Indian
astrology to the other. As per Hindu customary beliefs, there are 12
such Sankrantis in all. But the festival is celebrated only on the
occasion of Makara Sankaranti i.e. the transition of the Sun from
Sagittarius ('Dhanu' Rashi ) to Capricorn('Makara' Rasi). In this case,
the zodiacs are measured sidereally, and not tropically, in order to
account the Earth's precession. That is why the festival falls about 21
days after the tropical winter solstice which lies between December 20
and 23rd. Here the sun marks the starting of Uttarayana, which means
northern progress of Sun.
Andhra Pradesh
The festival sankranti ,is celebrated four days in Andhra Pradesh as below:
Day 1 - Bhogi
Day 2 - Makara Sankranti (Pedda Panduga)- the main festival day
Day 3 - Kanuma
Day 4 - Mukkanuma
The day preceding Makara Sankranti is called Bhogi(భోగి) and this is
when people discard old and derelict things and concentrate on new
things causing change or transformation. At dawn people light a bonfire
with logs of wood, other solid-fuels and wooden furniture at home that
are no longer useful. The disposal of derelict things is where all old
habits, the vices, attachment to relations and materials things are
sacrificed in the sacrificial fire of the knowledge of Rudra, known as
the "Rudra Gita Gyan Yagya. It represents realization, transformation
and purification of the soul by imbibing and inculcating divine virtues.
In many families, infants and children (usually less than three years
old) are showered with fruit called "Regi Pandlu", that is the
Indian jujube fruit.
It is believed that doing this would protect the children from evil
eye. Sweets in generous quantities are prepared and distributed. It is a
time for families to congregate. Brothers pay special tribute to their
married sisters by giving gifts as affirmation of their filial love.
Landlords give gifts of food, clothes and money to their workforce.
The second day is Makara Sankranti, also called "Pedda Panduga"
(పెద్ద పండుగ), which literally means "the big festival", when everyone
wears new clothes, prays to God, and make offerings of traditional food
to ancestors who have died.They also make big and beautiful
muggus{rangolis) in front of their homes and they decorate the rangoli
with flowers, colors and sparkle colors.
On the day after Makara Sankranti, the animal kingdom is remembered
and in particular, the cows. Young girls feed the animals, birds and
fishes as a symbol of sharing. Travel is considered to be inappropriate,
as these days are dedicated for re-union of the families. Sankranti in
this sense demonstrates their strong cultural values as well as a time
for change and transformation. And finally, gurus seek out their
devotees to bestow blessings on them.
Kanuma Panduga (కనుమ) is not as widely celebrated, but is an integral
part of the Sankranti culture.
Mukkanuma (ముక్కనుమ) is popular among
the non-vegetarians of the society.
People in Coastal Andhra do not eat any meat or fish during the first
three days of the festival, and do so only on the day of Mukkanuma,
whereas people in Telangana region observe only the first two days as
part of the festival. They eat rice cooked with Til (sesame seeds) on
the first day and eat meat on Makara Sankranti (Pedda Panduga), the
second day of the festival. For this festival all families prepare
Ariselu, Appalu (a sweet made of Jaggery and Pumpkin) and make an
offering to God.
Another notable feature of the festival in South India is the
Haridas
who goes around with a colorfully dressed cow, begging for rice wishing
luck. During these days people from Hyderabad fly kites from terraces
of their buildings. Children and elders enjoy this kite flying a lot.
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happy sankranthi
