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SIGNIFICANCE OF MAKAR SANKRANTI
Sakranti is a word of Sanskrit language
and it means transmigration of sun from one to another Rashi. Hence total 12
Sakranti falls a year but Sakranti festival means maker Sakranti when sun
transmigrates from Dhanu to Makar Rashi. Makar Sakranti is celebrated on basis
of solar calendar so its date remains same for years. It’s celebrated on 14th
January every year. It’s basically a harvest festival and is celebrated with
innumerable reasons and ways to celebrate all over the Indian Subcontinent.
The festival is known with many names like
Makar Sakranti in Andra Pradesh, Sikkim, Goa, Bihar,Karnataka, Jharkhand,
Bihar, Kerala, Orissa, Maharashtra, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and
Uttar Pradesh; Uttarayan in Gujarat and Rajasthan; Maghi in Punjab, Himachal
Pradesh and Haryana; Pongal in Tamilnadu, Magh Bihu or Bhogal Bihu in Assam
valley; Shishur senkaraat in Kashmir valley; Makar Vilakku in Sabrimala Temple
of Kerala.
This festival is celebrated in other
countries also with different names like Maghi in Tharu people of Nepal and
Maghe Sakranti in other people of Nepal; Songkran in Thailand, Pi Ma Lao in
Laos; Thingyan in Myanmar; Moha Sangkran in Cambodia.
Significance of Makar Sakranti:
As we discussed that there are innumerable
beliefs behind celebration of this festival; Here are a few of them:
1. Its believed that
Sun(Surya) visits the house of his son Saturn(Shani) on this day and stays for
a month.
2. Its believed that Day
and Night for deities are of 6 months and on Makar Sakranti day of Devtas
starts so its also called Uttarayana.
3. On this Day Lord
Vishnu ended terror of Asurs and buried their heads under Mandar Parvat. So
this day signifies end of all negatives.
4. On this day Maharaj
Bhagirath finally succeded in bringing river Ganga to the earth and performed
Tarpan for 60000 suns of maharaj sagar who burnt to ashes at the ashram of
Kapil muni. He performed tarpan at Ganga sagar of present day and every year
great fair is organised there and thousands of people performs tarpan for their
ancestors.
5. On this day Bhishma
pitamah of Mahabharata who was blessed with boon of ichcha mrityu decided to
leave his mortal coil. He was lying on bed of arrows till this day. Its
believed that who dies in Uttarayana becomes free from transmigration of soul.
6. Sikhs celebrates this
day as Maghi. On this day Guru Govind Singh discarded beydaava of 40 sikhs.
Practices:
On this day its believed that donating
clothes, eatables, money to humans or grass to cows washes the earlier sins of
human and god blesses him with heaven after his or her death. Bath also has
great significance on this day and in many states its said “Raja ka daan aur
praja ka snaan” means donation by king and bath by common man carries equal
importance. Til-Daan is also a very popular practice on this day.
Games like Kite Flying and SItolia are very popular in Indian StatesTo know more about Makar Sankranti, Click Here
