Makar Sankrant (Ponggal)

Makar Sankrant celebrations focus on Vivasvan, the Sun God, whom Lord Krsna revealed in Bhagavad-Gita to be His first disciple and the embodiment of knowledge and wisdom. Vivasvan then gave Bhagavad-gita to his son, Manu, who gave it to Iksvaku.

There is a wide variation in the celebration of Makar Sankrant throughout India. Both the names and the festivities are different from region to region:

In Gujarat and Maharashtra, Makar Sankrant is celebrated with colorful kites that are flown all around.

In Punjab, Makar Sankrant is called Lohri. December and January are the coldest months of the year in Punjab, and huge bonfires are lit on the eve of Sankrant. Sweets, sugarcane, and rice are thrown on the bonfires, and friends and relatives gather together

In Uttar Pradesh, this period is celebrated as Kicheri. It is considered auspicious to have a bath on this day and masses of people can be seen bathing in the Sangam at Prayagraj, where the rivers Ganga, Jamuna, and Saraswathi flow together.

In Southern India, Makar Sankrant is the harvest festival Pongal, which lasts for 3 days. On the first day, rice boiled with milk is offered to the Rain God. On the second day, it is offered to the Sun God and on the third day, the family cows are given a bath and dressed with flowers, bells, and colors. The oxen are honored for their hard work in the fields.