India is a land of varied cultures and traditions. The whole country has different festivals that are celebrated in different parts of the nation. One such festival is a harvest festival–‘Makar Sankranti’ that is celebrated on January 14 every year.
Celebrations mean a varied range of delicacies, especially during Makar Sankranti. It is also marked with kite flying, attending fairs aside from finger-licking food.
History
Sankranti was a goddess according to Hindu mythology. As per the legend, Sankranti killed a devil named Sankarasur. The day next to Makar Sankrant is called Karidin or Kinkrant.
Why is Makar Sankranti celebrated?
This festival is celebrated in different parts of India with different traditions and names. The festival is all about worshipping the sun and the legend of Hindu mythology related to Sankranti.
For an agriculture-dependent country like India, it means the end of cold, unyielding winters.
On the day of Makar Sankranti, a holy bath in one of the holy rivers is a very old tradition. This holy bath happens at different sacred holy rivers like in Varanasi, Haridwar, Ujjain, Nashik, and Allahabad.
Kite Festival
Kite flying is one of the sports that is practiced on this day. It is one of the biggest festival sports in Gujarat on the day of Uttrayan.
In other parts of the nation, there are various sports and dances that are held to commemorate the festival.
What are the customs associated with Makar Sankranti in different parts of the country?
In Rajasthan, married women present gifts related to household and cosmetics to 13 married women. They also offer snacks such as til patti, gajak, kheer, til laddoo and ghevar. Kite flying is also widely followed.
In Bengal, there is a tradition of donating til after taking bath in Makar Sankrant. A huge fair is also organised every year in Gangasagar.
Click here for Latest News updates and viral videos on our AI-powered smart news
For viral videos and Latest trends subscribe to NewsMobile YouTube Channel and Follow us on Instagram