Sankranthi

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Sankranthi, or Sankranti (Kannada: ಸಂಕ್ರಾಂತಿ, Telugu: సంక్రాంతి ), is a festival that signifies the beginning of the harvest season for the farmers of India. The Tamil version is called Pongal.

Since the festival is celebrated in the mid winter, the food prepared for this festival are such that they keep the body warm and give high energy. Laddu of til made with Jaggery (Gul)is specialty of the festival.In Maharshtra it is called 'Tilgul', but the place where it is celebrated with much pomp is Andhra Pradesh, where the festival is celebrated for 3 days and is more of a cultural festival unlike an auspicious day as in other parts of India.

Contents

[edit] Days of Festival

It is three day festival in Andhra Pradesh,

  • Bhogi Panduga (Bhogi Pongal)
  • Peddala Panduga,SANKRANTI (Surya Pongal)
  • Kanuma Panduga (Kanuma Pongal)

[edit] Festival celebration

The auspicious day of Sankranthi is celebrated typically in Andhra Pradesh, the festival is celebrated for three days. At this time, you can experience the cultural greatness of Andhra Pradesh at its best. Every village and town in Andhra Pradesh is decorated with drawings. The colorful drawings-known as 'muggulu'-are usually found infront of the houses. Woman enjoy making these drawings, and every year they try to out do themselves. Budabukkalavallu, Haridaslulu, Gangireddulavallu, and people decorated in mythological costumes visit each and every house during this festival; due to tradition, they are honoured and given money. Flying kites can be seen covering the skies. Each household has kids and adults gathered in groups competing with other kite flyers. In the rural and costal areas, cock fights are one of the most promonant events of this festival.The first day of festival is Bhogi, in the night people light up fire with several old articles in their houses.The next day is Sankranti, the big festival, on this day everyone wears new cloths and pray to their favorite god by offering them sweets and dishes. The same festival is celebrated throughout the country under other names such as pongal in Tamil Nadu.

[edit] National festival

Makar Sankranti is one of the most auspicious day for the Hindus, and is celebrated in almost all parts of the country in myriad cultural forms, with great devotion, fervor & gaiety. Lakhs (1 lakh = 100,000) of people take a dip in places like Ganga Sagar & Prayag and pray to Lord Sun. It is celebrated with pomp in southern parts of the country as Pongal, and in Punjab is celebrated as Lohri & Maghi. Gujarati's not only look reverentially up to the sun, but also offer thousands of their colorful oblations in the form of beautiful kites all over the skyline. They may be trying to reach up to their glorious God or bring about greater proximity with the one who represents the best. It is a day for which Bhishma Pitamah kept waiting to leave his mortal coil..

[edit] Regional variations

Sankranti is celebrated all over India and Nepal with some regional variations:

[edit] Subtle meaning in Sankranthi

Makar Sankranti is the day when the glorious Sun-God of Hindus begins its ascendancy and entry into the Northern Hemisphere. Sun for the Hindus stands for Pratyaksha-Brahman - the manifest God, who symbolizes, the one, non-dual, self-effulgent, glorious divinity blessing one & all tirelessly. Sun is the one who transcends time and also the one who rotates the proverbial Wheel of Time. The famous Gayatri Mantra, which is chanted everyday by every faithful Hindu, is directed to Sun God to bless them with intelligence & wisdom. Sun not only represents God but also stands for an embodiment of knowledge & wisdom. Lord Krishna reveals in Gita that this manifested divinity was his first disciple, and we all know it to be indeed a worthy one too. No Sundays for the Sun, may be because one who revels in its very 'being', the very essence of his own Self, is always in the Sunday mood.

The co-relation of cosmic events with individual life and values is one of the most astounding traits of Hindu Masters. Once this co-relation is brought about thereafter these cosmic events become instrumental to remind us the best which we cherish & value. Of all the cosmic bodies Sun is the most glorious & important, thus every sun-centric cosmic event became very important spiritual, religious & cultural events. On Makar Sankranti day the Sun begins its ascendancy and journey into the Northern Hemisphere, and thus it signifies an event wherein the Gods seem to remind their children that 'Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya'. May you go higher & higher - to more & more Light and never to darkness.

[edit] Mela

Many Melas or fairs are held on Makar Sankranti the most famous being the Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years at one of four holy locations, namely Haridwar, Prayag (Allahabad), Ujjain and Nashik. The Magh Mela (or mini-Kumbh Mela held annually at Prayag) and the Gangasagar Mela (held at the head of the Ganges River, where it flows into the Bay of Bengal).

Makara Sankranti is celebrated in Kerala at Sabarimala where the Makara Jyothi is visible followed by the Makara Vilakku celebrations.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links


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Festivals in the Hindu calendar
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Regional New Year

Vaisakhi · Ugadi · Vishu · Puthandu · Onam

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