Makar Sankranti:14th January

[mukti]

Makar Sankranti is celebrated in all parts of India as well as Hindus overseas with great devotion.. It is one of the most auspicious day for the Hindus
It is celebrated 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 upto 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.
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. Sun is the one who transcends time and also the one who rotates the proverbial Wheel of Time. The famous Gayatri Mantra, is directed to Sun God to bless them with intelligence & wisdom.
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.
Every body must be celebrating Makar Sankranti in different way. How do you celebrate Makar Sankranti?

[suminaik10]

In Maharashtra on the Sankranti day people exchange multi-colored tilguds made from til (sesame seeds) and sugar and til-laddus made from til and jaggery. Til-polis are offered for lunch. While exchanging tilguls as tokens of goodwill people greet each other saying – ‘til-gul ghya, god god bola’ meaning ‘accept these tilguls and speak sweet words’. The thought in the exchange of tilguls is to forget the past ill-feelings towards each other and resolve to speak sweetly and remain friends.
This is a special day for the women in Maharashtra when married women are invited for a get-together called ‘Haldi-Kumkum’ and given gifts like utenesils,sugar,wheat, and etc.
Newly married during her first 5 years will give coconut,comb,mirror,sindoor and earthern pots(small size) to other married ladies along with tilgul and chana.
In Konkan region you will see ladies wearing colorful saris and ornaments and visit their neighbours,friends and family.

[ashmita]

Bengal Ganga Sagar Mela is attended by a large number of pilgrims from all over the country. In Bengal every year a very big Mela is held at Ganga Sagar where the river Ganga is believed to have divided and vivified the ashes of the sixty thousand ancestors of King Bhagirath. .

[tulsi34]

In Gujarat Sankrant is observed more or less in the same manner as in Maharashtra but with a difference that in Gujarat there is a custom of giving gifts to relatives. The elders in the family give gifts to the younger members of the family. The Gujarati Pundits on this auspicious day grant scholarships to students for higher studies in astrology and philosophy. This festival thus helps the maintenance of social relationships within the family, caste and community.
Kite flying has been associated with this festival in a big way. Gujarat sky will be decorated with kites. All the family members get together to fly kites and different kinds of food is served to family members.