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About Makar Sankranti

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About Makar Sankranti

Makar Sankranti is the harvest festival on the day the Sun enters Makara, or Capricorn, in the Indian sky. It falls on 14 or 15 January and marks the start of Uttarayan, the Sun's journey north and the end of the coldest days.

It is one of the few Hindu festivals set by the Sun rather than the Moon, so its date hardly moves. People thank the Sun god for the harvest, take a holy dip in rivers, give food and warm clothes to those in need, and share sweets of sesame and jaggery.

Each region has its own way. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana keep three days of Bhogi, Sankranti and Kanuma with muggulu at the door and new rice dishes. Karnataka shares ellu bella. Gujarat flies kites from every terrace for Uttarayan and eats undhiyu and chikki. Maharashtra says "Tilgul ghya, god god bola". Bihar and Uttar Pradesh eat dahi chura and khichdi, and Punjab marks Maghi after Lohri.

In Tamil Nadu the same day is Thai Pongal, in Assam it is Magh Bihu, and in Nepal it is Maghe Sankranti. Indian families in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and the Gulf keep it with kites and sweets too.

  • Usually 14 or 15 January
  • A solar festival
  • Pongal, Lohri, Bihu, Uttarayan
  • Kites, til and jaggery

Where it began

Sankranti means the passage of the sun from one zodiac sign to the next. Makar Sankranti is the passage into Makara, or Capricorn, and it begins Uttarayana, the sun's journey northward, which is seen as a lucky and holy time.

One story in the Mahabharata tells that Bhishma, lying on a bed of arrows, waited for Uttarayana before leaving his body. Another legend says the sun god Surya visits his son Shani on this day, a sign of making peace in the family.

Because it follows the sun, the date stays almost the same in the Western calendar each year. The festival also thanks nature for the winter harvest of sugarcane, rice and sesame.

Clay pots and a kolam ready for the Pongal cookingTamil Nadu, India

How it grew over time

  1. Ancient times

    Farmers mark the turn of the sun and the winter harvest with thanksgiving, holy dips and charity.

  2. Medieval period

    Great bathing fairs grow at river meetings like Prayag and Ganga Sagar on this day.

  3. 1800s

    Kite flying becomes the signature of Sankranti in Gujarat and Rajasthan, with whole cities on their rooftops.

  4. Today

    International kite festivals, the Gangasagar Mela and the Magh Mela at Prayagraj draw huge crowds.

How it is celebrated in different places

  • Gujarat

    Uttarayan fills the sky with kites from dawn to night, with undhiyu and chikki on every terrace.

  • Tamil Nadu

    Pongal lasts four days, with rice boiled in new pots until it overflows and cattle honoured on Mattu Pongal.

  • Punjab

    Lohri the night before brings bonfires, folk songs and peanuts, popcorn and rewri thrown into the flames.

  • Assam

    Magh Bihu brings community feasts, bonfire huts called meji and rice cakes called pitha.

  • Maharashtra and Karnataka

    Friends exchange til-gul or ellu-bella with a wish to speak sweetly to each other all year.

  • Nepal

    Maghe Sankranti is a day for holy dips, sesame sweets and yam dishes with family.

Makar Sankranti moments

A village gathers to cook Pongal togetherTamil Nadu, India
Pongal pots lined up along the village streetTamil Nadu, India
Cooking Pongal side by side in the open airTamil Nadu, India
Sweet pongal, rice boiled with jaggery and milkIndia

Makar Sankranti today

People take a morning dip, give food and warm clothes to those in need, fly kites, cook sweets of sesame and jaggery and visit family. Farmers thank the sun, the land and their cattle for the harvest.

How people celebrate Makar Sankranti

  • Flying kites from terraces in Gujarat and Rajasthan
  • Til gud, ellu bella and sesame laddoos
  • Bhogi bonfire, muggulu and gobbemmalu in Andhra and Telangana
  • Holy dip in the Ganga and other rivers
  • Giving food, sesame and warm clothes to those in need
  • Khichdi, dahi chura and new rice dishes
  • Decorating cattle on Kanuma

How to wish well

  • Greet people on the morning of Sankranti, or on Bhogi the day before in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
  • In Maharashtra and Karnataka, pair your wish with the line about sweet words: "Tilgul ghya, god god bola" or "Ellu bella thindu olle maathadi".
  • For Gujarati friends, say "Happy Uttarayan"; kite wishes fit well.
  • Tamil friends celebrate Pongal on the same day, so a Pongal wish suits them better.
  • For customers, a short wish with thanks and a touch of sweetness works well.

Questions about Makar Sankranti

When is Makar Sankranti 2027?

Makar Sankranti falls on 14 or 15 January every year, on the day the Sun enters Makara. See the date shown on this page for 2027.

Why is Makar Sankranti on the same date every year?

It follows the Sun, not the Moon. It is the day the Sun enters the sign of Makara in the Indian sidereal zodiac, so it stays on 14 or 15 January.

What do you say on Makar Sankranti?

Say "Happy Makar Sankranti". In Marathi people say "Tilgul ghya, god god bola", in Kannada "Ellu bella thindu olle maathadi", in Telugu "Sankranti Subhakankshalu" and in Gujarati "Happy Uttarayan".

Why do people fly kites on Sankranti?

Kite flying is a joyful way to enjoy the winter sun after the cold months. It is biggest in Gujarat and Rajasthan, where the sky fills with kites from dawn to dusk.

Why are til and jaggery eaten on Sankranti?

Sesame and jaggery keep the body warm in winter, and sharing them is a wish to forget old quarrels and speak sweetly.

Is Sankranti the same as Pongal?

They fall on the same day and both are harvest festivals. Tamil Nadu celebrates it as Thai Pongal, while most other states call it Makar Sankranti.

How many days is Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh?

Three days: Bhogi, Sankranti and Kanuma. Some families add a fourth day, Mukkanuma.

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