Makar Sankranti 2022: Date, Celebration, Food Item, Wallpapers

Makar Sankranti 2022 Date, Wishes, Images, Celebration, Food | Indian Festivals Vibes

Festival season is on its way along with Lohri and Pongal, followed by Makar Sankranti 2022!

Makar Sankranti is one of the most awaited religious festivals celebrated every year on the same date (14th January) by the Hindus living in India as well as outside India. According to the Hindu calendar, it is celebrated in Magha month, the month of January. Thus, according to the Gregorian Calendar, it's the first Indian festival of the year.

However, each Indian state celebrates this festival uniquely as per their religions and beliefs; a common significance of Sankranti is associated with the worship of Lord Surya (Surya Devta / Sun God). Sun is the sign of life's giver, and people feel satisfied by worshiping it on this very special day. Along with Lord Surya, people also worship Lord Vishnu and Goddess Laxmi.

It is believed that auspicious days start after Makar Sankranti and people begin their good works on these days to get success.

What is Makar Sankranti?

Makar Sankranti is a spiritual Indian festival dedicated to the deity Surya, i.e., Lord Sun. Unlike Lohri and Pongal, Makar Sankranti is a harvest festival of the country celebrated by the Hindu community worldwide, especially in India.

You might be surprised knowing that there are twelve Sankranti according to Hindu Calendar. Makar Sankranti has greater importance than others owing to its religious significance. Generally, all the twelve Sankranti days of a year when the Lord Surya transits a Rashi are considered important days to worship the almighty Surya.

But the day of Makar Sankranti, when the Sun transits from Dhanu Rashi to Makara Rashi, is known as the most religious and spiritual day for devotees to worship the Sun, take a dip in holy rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, Narmada, etc., and do some charity activities, too. This festival is celebrated under various names and traditions in different Indian states, including Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka, Bengal, Assam, etc.

Various Names of Makar Sankranti Festival:

Sankranti
Uttarayan
Maghi
Magh Bihu
Bhogali Bihu
Thai Pongal
Pongal
Khichidi Sankranti
Sankranthi
Shishur Sankrat
Til Sankranti

This festival is celebrated not just in India; various neighbouring countries, including Nepal, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Bangladesh, etc. also celebrate it with different names such as:

Maghe Sankranti
Songkran
Thingyan
Mohan Songkran
Poush Sankranti

Sankranti is the day when Sun enters into the Capricorn Zodiac, i.e., Makara Rashi, and it happens every year in the January month as per the Gregorian calendar. This festival indicates the end of the winter season, and longer days begin along with the Sun's northward journey. That's why Gujarati people also call this festival Uttarayan.

But you might not know that Makar Sankranti and Uttarayan are two different events. Do you want to know how? The word Uttarayan combines two words, i.e., Uttara and Ayana. Makar Sankranti occurs when Surya transits in Makara Rashi, but Uttarayan means Sun moves towards the Northern hemisphere after completing its six-month journey in the southern hemisphere.

Makar Sankranti Date 2022

Every year the date and time of Makar Sankranti are decided as per the Hindu solar calendar. Generally, it's celebrated on 14th January, but sometimes it falls on 15th January. So, it depends on when the Sankranti (Sun's transit from Dhanu to Makara Rashi) happens. If this transit occurs on the same day before sunset, Sankranti is celebrated only on that day, i.e., 14th January. But if it happens after sunset, it is celebrated on the next day, i.e., 15th January. This year, Sankranti will be celebrated on Friday, 14th January 2022.

Makar Sankranti 2022 Punya Kala & Maha Punya Kala:

Details of Punya Kala:

Time: 2:43 PM to 5:45 PM Total Duration: 3 Hours & 2 Minutes

Details of Maha Punya Kala:

Time: 2:43 PM to 4:28 PM Total Duration: 1 Hour & 45 Minutes

Why We Celebrate Makar Sankranti 2022?

Makar Sankranti is one of the few Indian festivals that follow the solar cycle and not the lunar cycle, generally observed in the Hindu Calendar. People celebrate this amazing Indian festival for different reasons. Farmers celebrate the Sankranti festival as the beginning of the harvesting season. They consider the festival Thanksgiving to the Lord Surya, Lord Vishnu and Goddess Laxmi. Along with them, devotees also worship the newly harvested crops and share them among their near and dear ones.

When Makar Sankranti is Celebrated?

Makar Sankranti is observed immediately after the next day of Lohri and Pongal, celebrated on 13th January every year. However, Uttarayan is celebrated on 14th January; it may also fall on 15th January in case of the leap year. As 2022 is not a leap year, People will celebrate Makar Sankranti 2022 on 14th January this year. Sankranti is one of such festivals celebrated on the same day across India and some neighbouring countries.

Makar Sankranti Celebration in the Various States

Makar Sankranti is observed in almost every state of India but with a different name. Some of them are as under:

Andhra Pradesh (Telangana)

The people of Andhra Pradesh celebrate this festival for four days, i.e., "Bhogi" on the first day, "Sankranti" on the second day, "Kanuma" on the third day, and "Mukkanuma" on the fourth and last day.

Assam

Assam people know this festival as Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu and celebrate it as a sign of the end of the harvesting season in the month called Maagha. They celebrate Sankranti with great joy and enthusiasm with feasting and bonfires. Shunga Pitha, Til Pitha, Laru, Laskara etc., are the popular food items that people of Assam like to have on this auspicious festival.

Goa

Makar Sankranti is known as Sankranti in Goa. People in Goa believe in distributing sweets such as sugar-coated till pulses among their family members and friends on this day.

Gujarat

Gujarati people eagerly await this amazing festival, which they call Uttarayan. They celebrate the festival for two days, i.e., Uttarayan on 14th January and Vasi-Uttarayan, also known as Stale Uttarayan, on 15th January. Gujaratis are very fond of flying kites, also known as "Patang," on the day of Uttarayan. Kites are made of lightweight paper and bamboo sticks. Moreover, they like to eat Undhiyu, Till and Peanuts Chikki on Sankranti.

Delhi & Haryana

People in Delhi and Haryana call this festival Sakraant. On the day of Sakraant, people take a dip dive into the holy rivers like Ganga, Yamuna or in sacred lakes or ponds. They believe that by doing so, all the sins are washed away. Till and gud ladoos, halwa, churma, kheer, etc., are the most famous foods people of North India take on this spiritual day. Brothers bring a gift pack and warm clothes for their married sisters and family members. Moreover, women give Manana, i.e., a gift to their in-laws.

Karnataka

Sankranti is a Sugi or harvesting festival for the farmers in Karnataka. People of Karnataka follow the ritual called Ellu Birodhu wherein girls wearing new clothes go to their relatives and friends' homes with Sankranti offering on a plate.

Maharashtra

Maharashtrian women wear black clothes and invite friends and relatives, give them till and gul along with some gifts. They also exchange multicolored halwa and til-gul ladoos among near and dear ones. While distributing the sweets, they speak a line "til gul ghya aani god god bola," which means "eat the til-gul and speak sweet words."

Sankranti Special Popular Food Items

Here, we have listed out some of the famous Makar Sankranti food items that people love to consume on this festival:

Til Chikkis
Til Ladoos
Dahi Chura
Khichdi
Churma
Halwa
Kheer
Undhiyu
Pithe Puli
Sakkarai Pongal
Ramdane Ladoos
Ellu Bella
Puran Poli
Makara Chaula
Pheni
Ghevar
Gajak
Murukku
Gokul Pithe
Kangsubi

However, the above-listed food items are commonly consumed on Uttarayan; people also consume other dishes as per their religion, beliefs, and rituals.