Makar Sankranti is a Hindu Festival celebrated every year on Jan 14. Sankranti is a Sanskrit Word which literally means, "Transition" or "Movement". The Occasion marks Sun's Transition from Zodiac Sign of Sagittarius to Zodiac Sign of Capricorn. As Sun's Zodiac Transition is Center of Celebration, so Festival is dedicated to Solar Deity, Surya.
Makar Sankranti is a Time of Celebration & Thanks Giving. It is marked by a variety of Rituals & Traditions. Colorful Decorations, Fairs, Dances, Bonfires & Feasts are some Festivities associated with Makar Sankranti. Many Devotees take a Holy Dip in Sacred Rivers, especially Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Krishna & Kaveri. People take Sacred Bath in a Ceremony of Thanks to Sun.
Many Fairs are held on this occasion. Most Famous is Kumbha Mela - One of World's Largest Mass Pilgrimage, with an estimated 60 - 100 Million Attendees. It is observed every 12 Years on Makar Sankranti at 1 of 4 Holy Locations, Haridwar, Prayag (Prayagraj), Ujjain & Nashik. Other Famous Annual Fairs are Magha Mela (Mini Kumbh Mela) at Prayag, Gangasagar Mela at Head of River Ganga, where it meets Bay of Bengal, Makar Mela in Odisha & Tusu Mela, also called Tusu Porab in Jharkhand & West Bengal.
Festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated in Various Regions of India with Different Names. Here is a North to South Name List of Makar Sankranti.
Maghi Sangrand or Uttarain (Uttarayana) in Jammu, Shishur Senkrath in Kashmir, Maghi Saaji in Himachal Pradesh, Maghi Sangrand in Punjab, Sakrat in Haryana, Ghughuti in Uttarakhand, Sakraat in Rajasthan, Uttarayana in Gujarat & Uttar Pradesh, Magh Bihu in Assam, Dahi Chura in Bihar, Khichadi in Bhojpuri Region, Sukarat in Central India, Makar Sankranti in Odisha, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal (also called Poush Sankranti or Mokor Sankranti), Uttar Pradesh (also called Khichdi Sankranti), Uttarakhand (also called Uttarayani), Sankranthi or Peddha Panduga in Andhra Pradesh & Telangana, Makara Sankranti in Karnataka, Makara Vilak in Kerala & Pongal in Tamil Nadu.
Makar Sankranti is also celebrated Outside India with Different Names in Different Countries. Maghe Sankranti in Nepal, Songkran in Thailand, Thingyan in Myanmar, Mohan Songkran in Combodia & Til Sakraat in Mithila.
Makar Sankranti is a Festival to Recognize the Transition, Transition Being Celebration, Transition Being Life, Transition Being Process, Beginning & End of Life.
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