The Young Chronicle: For 4th Graders January 16th, 2015 | Page 6

YOUNG CHRONICLE

November 28th, 2014

Marking the Entry of Spring 
By ARSHIA GARG 
Makar Sankranti is a Hindu harvest festival. It marks the arrival of spring and the end of the winter season. It is celebrated
on a fixed date i.e. 14 January every year, in various parts of India. It is said that this day marks sun’s entry into Makara
rashi. Many centuries back, the sun started its Northward journey on this day. It was around Makar Sankranti (or the Winter
Solstice) when the days started becoming longer and winter was said to be going away. But the Winter Solstice has been
shifting every year and occurs somewhere in the End of December, now. However, the date on which Makar Sankranti is
celebrated, hasn’t changed.

Makar Sankranti is celebrated with different names and rituals in different parts of India. The different names of this
festival are: Uttarayan in Gujarat; Pongal in Tamil Nadu; Bihu in Assam; Makara Sankranti in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West
Bengal, Uttakhand, rajasthan, Sikkim, Manipur, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana,
Jharkhand, Odisha, Goa, Chattisgarh. People of Punjab celebrate Lohri, one night before, on 13th Jan

This day is celebrated in other countries too, under different names and in different ways. It is called Maghe Sankranti in
Nepal, Songkran in Thailand, Pi Ma Lao in Laos, Thingyan in Myanmar, Moha Sangkran in Cambodia, Pongal in Sri Lanka.
Many fairs are held on Makara Sankranti, the most famous is the Kumbha Mela, which is held every 12 years.
People celebrate Makar Sankranti differently in different places. Everyone organises feasts as a celebration of good harvest.
Undhiyu – a sweet special combination of vegetables and pulses is made in Gujarat.
Gujaratis celebrate with flying kites in the day and flying tukkal (a special kite with
fire lighted diya – like a hot air balloon) when the sky gets dark.
Black urad dal Khichdi is made in UP. In Assam there is a special dance that is
performed on Bihu songs whole night.
In Andhra Pradesh, all families prepare Appalu(a sweet made of jaggery and rice
flour), dappalam( a dish made with pumpkin and other vegetables) and make an
offering to God

In Bihar, it is called Sakraat or Khichdi. The delicacies prepared are special Khichdi(made of dal, rice, cauliflower, peas and
potato), chura, gur(jaggery), various sweets made of sesame seeds such as Tilgul, Tilwa, 5
maska.

In Delhi and Haryana, people celebrate by eating churma of desi ghee, halwa and kheer
In Himachal Pradesh, in the daytime people visit their neighbours and together enjoy khichdi with ghee and chaas. They also
give it in charity temples.

In Karnataka, on Makar Sankranti, people wear new clothes and visit their near and dear ones with Sankranti offering in a
plate, and exchange i B6