Makar Sankranti: Celebrating nature`s abundance

Smita Mishra

Makar Sankrant, Sankranti, Lohri, Uttarayana, Pongal these myriad words seemed such a jumble of confusion for me in my school days. I often wondered why Pongal and Lohri are marked in our holiday list even though we never celebrate them! What are they actually? Inspite of my mother`s constant explanation I failed to visualize them as festivals and both Lohri and Pongal appeared to me as the names of some strange dishes (Lohri a sweet and Pongal made of rice or bananas!).

And I was completely taken aback, when only a couple of days ago a South Indian friend informed me that it is actually a dish and that too made of rice! Being an East Indian all I could relate to was with Makar Sankranti when we ate laddus made of Gur and Til, when the stove was not lighted at home during the day and we had to be contented with uncooked grains (which surprisingly tasted delicious with creamy curd and home made Gur).

Til Sankranti, Khichuri and Gangasagar Mela

I have memories of my grand mother sending huge sacks full of laddus made of whole roasted grains and Gur, claudrons full of creamy curd and farm fresh jaggery. Not to speak of fresh vegetables and roasted til to be eaten in the evening of Sankranti. Memories also persist of my mother making me forcibly take bath on this particular winter morning, touch a plate full of Til (which was subsequently given as "daan" to ward off evil) and eat Til as the first grain.

No wonder it is called Til Sankranti in Bihar! And the thing which made it special for us children was the numerous fairs held during this day. The fair at Mandar Hill (the same mythological mountain around which Sheshnag was wrapped as a rope to churn the ocean in search of panacea) in Bihar needs special mention as it is the focal point of a multitudinous crowd on this day. People find it auspicious to take bath in the chilly waters of a small pond call ‘Papharni’ during this day. In Uttar Pradesh, Sankrant is called "Kicheri".

Having bath on this day is regarded as most important. An ocean of humanity can be seen taking dip in the icy waters of Sangam at Prayagraj where the rivers, Ganga, Jamuna and Saraswati flow together. At the confluence of these holy rivers, in every year twelve years, Kumbh Mela is held for one month.

In Bengal every year a Mela is held at Ganga Sagar, where the river Ganga is believed to have disappeared into nether and vivified the ashes of the sixty thousand ancestors of King Bhagirath. In Bundelkhand and Madhya Pradesh, this festival of Sankrant is known by the name "Sukarat" or "Sakarat" and is celebrated with great pomp and merriment accompanied by lot of sweets especially made of Til and Gur.

In Gujatrat, Celebrating “Uttarayan" with Kaypo Che and Tal Sankadi

Kaypo Che `I cut the kite` and Tal Sankadi, the delicious winter sweet –speaks of the spirit of celebration in Gujarat. `Uttarayana`, as it is called here is an occasion of great celebration. Fun and food dominate the festivities. The day is spent flying and cutting kites, enjoying the bright sunlight on roof tops and celebrating the arrival of the festival by flying white kites in the sky. On this auspicious day scholarships are given to students for higher studies in astrology and philosophy by Gujarati Pandits. The festival extends for a period of two days – "Uttarayana" is followed by "Vaasi Uttarayan" which falls on January 15.

`Pedda Panduga` Pongal

In most parts of South India, Sankrant is known by the name "Pongal", which takes its name from the surging of rice boiled in a pot full of milk. It is the major festival of South India – just like Diwali in North. No wonder, Telugus call it `Pedda Panduga`, meaning big festival. In South, the `Pedda Panduga`, lasts for four days, the first day Bhogi, the second day Sankranti , the third day Kanuma and the fourth day, Mukkanuma.

Bhogi Pongal and is usually meant for domestic activities and of being together with the family members. Lord Indra, the Lord of rains is worshipped on this day for abundance of harvest. Surya Pongal is celebrated on the second day. It is dedicated to the Sun God. The third day is Mattu Pongal, which is the festival of cattle. Farmers pamper and worship them and also symbolically thank them for their invaluable contribution in agriculture. On this day Lord Ganesh and Goddess Parvati are also worshipped. Fourth day is Kaanum Pongal. This day is devoted to merriment and socializing.

In Kerala Pongal festival is known as Makar Sankranti. On this day at sacred Sabarimala shrine lakhs of pilgrims wait to see a star-like celestial light of incredible splendor appearing on the horizon. This is known as Makara Jyothi, which occurs at the time of the evening Deeparadhana.

For Tamilians Pongal marks the beginning of the New Year. Great significance is attached to Sun worship and the day begins with Surya Pongal or Sun Worship. On this day, the newly harvested corn is then cooked for the first time. Worshipping cattle, particularly cow is an important feature of Pongal. Servants and the poor are fed and gifted clothes and money.

In Karnataka, men, women and children all dressed in new clothes visit friends and relatives and exchange sugarcane, a mixture of fried Til, molasses, dry coconut, peanuts and gram. This gesture is a token to mark sweetness of relationships. Animals too are worshipped and given special treatment during this festival. Cows and bulls are given a wash and the horns are painted with bright colours and decorated with garland. The animals then are taken in a procession in the village to the accompaniment of pipes and drums. In the night a bonfire is lit and the animals are made to jump over the fire.

Bhogali Bihu in Assam Bhogali Bihu or Magh Bihu celebrated every year around 15 January marks the end of harvesting season and there is a lot of feasting throughout Assam during this festival. During Bihu there is community feasting everywhere in Assam. The entire night is spent around a bonfire with people singing Bihu songs, beating drums or playing games. Next morning, people gather around the Mejis and throw Pithas (rice cakes) and betal nuts to it while burning it at the same time.

Lohri

Lohri is one of the major festivals of Punjab. It is celebrated every year on 13th January with great pomp and show. Lohri, which marks the culmination of winter is more than a festival in Punjab.It is an event of family get-togethers, socializing with friends and relatives and exchanging pleasantries with each other. The focus of Lohri is the bonfire. The traditional dinner with Makki ki Roti and Sarson ka Saag is quintessential.

The prasad comprises of five main things: Til, Gazak, Gur, Moongphali, Phuliya and popcorn. There is Puja, involving Parikrama around the fire and distribution of Prasad. This symbolises a prayer to fire, the spark of life, for abundant crops and all round prosperity.

What is Sankranti?

How many of us know that in a year there are 12 Sankrantis. But only the Makar Sankranti is celebrated with such pomp because it is considered to be the most auspicious time of the year.The period, beginning from 14 January lasting till 14 July, is known as Uttarayan. It is also the last day of the month of Maargazhi, the ninth month of the lunar calendar. The Bhagwad Gita considers the period extremely sacred.

Even Mahabharata speaks of the auspiciousness of the period. Bhishma Pitamah chose to die during this period. Bhishma fell to the arrows of Arjuna. With his boon to choose the time of his death, he waited on a bed of arrows to depart from this world only during this period. It is believed that those who die in this period become free from the cycle of birth and death. Sankranti as well as Uttaryana literally mean movement. And this movement pertains to the changes in the cosmic calendar, the changes in the direction of sun. Transition of the sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn during the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere (Uttarayana) is known as Makar Sankranti. The sun’s movement towards north makes the day longer. I often wondered why of all grains Til is used in this festival.

The explanation that Til is warm and healthy and should be eaten during winter did not satisfy me entirely till I chanced upon a more reasonable explanation. In our religious scriptures six types of Til have been mentioned. Til is used for bathing, for massaging, for Havan (sacred fire ceremony), Tarpan, food, and charity.

It is said that Til emanates from Vishnu`s body and that the above described usage wash away all kinds of sins. What makes Sankranti enchanting and mesmerizing for me is its rootedness in the ancient past. When I see folks dancing around Lohri bonfire, playing drums and cymbals, at once, the images of our remote, uncivilized ancestors begins to float before my eyes. They too must be celebrating harvest and spring in the same way; only a span of a few million years lies in between.

Man might have achieved countless feats since his first ancestors set foot on Earth, but no achievement, no trophy is celebrated with such vigour and delight as this festival that expresses gratitude towards nature’s bounty – which still remains the basic concern of man in this ultra modern world of nukes and Nanos.