Celebrate Makar Sankranti

This festival is celebrated in different parts of Bharath, India. In south India, it is popularly called ‘Pongal’, in Punjab and Haryana it is called ‘Lohri’, in Assam it is called ‘Bihu’ and ‘Khichdi festival’ in Bihar.

• It also marks a harsh winter that will starts to come to an end. Makar Sankranti is the name of the day the great Sun in the sky begins to travel his  journey towards the North. The days starts to become longer and warmer. The same exact day the Royal Sun moves into the constellations (Jyotish- Vedic astrology) into the sign  Makar/Capricorn. The Sun moved from Cancer to Sagittarius-6 signs. And now it traveled  from half of the 12 signs into and other beginning of a half: Makar.

It is believed that, Sun the father of Saturn visits the house of Saturn: Capricorn/Makar. We know that Saturn and Sun don't get along. However, on this day the moment the Sun enters this house (Lord Capricorn's house) and stays there for a month with his son, it's very significant in Vedic astrology to be aware of forgiveness, love, compassion and humbleness. During this time the Sun who represents ego, (ego comes with much more attitudes), the sun actually becomes humble. This is so important. So this visit makes them friendly, harmonious and humble. So, in other words, it simply means that the sun Lord comes down to his son’s place to stay with him in peace. Thus, it signifies forgetting old bitterness and quarrels in the past, leaving behind our well framed egos and stepping into a beautiful world of kindness, love, compassion and harmony.

Establishing warm and loving relationships with the people we love, ending any kind of bitterness or grudges we hold and also creating a happy frame for us and for the people around us truly signifies why we should enjoy this festival of when even the stars come together in union.

• Harvest time for farmers
• Rituals/Prayers

People clean the house completely, especially the praying area. Families wake up early and take completely bath, in river. In India if they can visit the Ganga they will. One add tilak on the for head. People pray to the Sun & to Shani, offer flowers and receive blessings. Decorations are placed. People specially Worship  ‘Surya Dev’ by lighting the lamp and chanting ‘Surya mantra’. The Surya Mantra: “Om Hram Hreem Hroum Sah Suryaya Namah”. Some after all the rituals are completed, they do distribute ‘Baayna’ to all the married ladies in the family and friends along with the priests.

• Many women will pray for longevity of loved ones. Husband included and every other family member.
• The onset of the auspicious Uttarayan period. This is the period between Makar Sankranti and Karka Sankranti. It's believed who leaves the body in this period they enter heaven. In MahaBharathta Bhishma actually waited for this auspicious moment to open up so he could leave his body and free him self from the cycle of birth and death.

Kumb Mela. On this day the Kumb Mela will start. Never been there, but from stories one can say that this is a must do once in life time! A together at the union of: Ganga, Yamuna & Sarasvati. This togetherness in the Holy water must be energizing.

This Hindu Faith is not a faith, a lifestyle to be lived. Every celebration reminds one of: Bliss, joy, happiness, kindness, compassion, harmony, sweetness, love, light and all these and more we do for our self and specially for our soul.  For moksha.

Happy Makar Sanskranti