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Spiritual Significance
Makar Sankranti marks the sun's entry into Capricorn (Makara rashi) and the beginning of Uttarayana, the sun's northward journey. It is a pan-India harvest festival known by different names — Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Lohri in Punjab, Bihu in Assam, and Uttarayan in Gujarat. The festival symbolizes the end of winter, the onset of longer days, and gratitude to the sun for the harvest.
How to Celebrate in United States
Observing Makar Sankranti in United States is highly auspicious. Because local timezone sunrise and moonrise times differ, follow these practices:
- Align Fasting with Local Sunrise: Start your vrat precisely at sunrise in New York (approx 06:00 local time), rather than following Indian Standard Time.
- Perform Puja during local Auspicious Hours: Make sure to perform the main rituals during local EST evening/night windows as shown above.
- Holy dip at sunrise in sacred rivers (especially Ganga Sagar)
- Flying colorful kites (especially in Gujarat and Rajasthan)
- Eating til-gur (sesame and jaggery) sweets
- Donating sesame, blankets, and warm clothes to the poor
- Offering water to the Sun God (Surya Arghya)
Auspicious Items to Prepare
🌸 Sesame (til) seeds🌸 Jaggery (gur)🌸 Rice🌸 Sugarcane🌸 Kites