Makar Sankranti

The one major festival fixed to the solar calendar rather than the moon — the sun turns north and the cold half of the year begins to loosen.

Because it tracks the sun, the date barely moves — this is the agricultural hinge of the year, the first harvest counted and the light lengthening. Sesame and jaggery are dense, warming foods for the coldest weeks; the ritual attaches them to the day rather than leaving it to chance.

• Anyone who wishes to honour Surya may observe it; there is no requirement of initiation or priesthood for the home version.
• No fast is required, so the whole household can take part, including children and elders.
• In many families the observance passes down through the women of the house or through a family tradition tied to Surya; follow your family's custom where it differs from the general description here.

1. 1Bathe, wear clean clothes and clear a small space for the deity.
2. 2Light a lamp and an incense stick, and offer water, flowers and a simple sweet from the samagri list below.
3. 3Say Surya's name or the mantra on this page eleven times, with your intention for the day.
4. 4Read the short katha on this page aloud, offer the bhog, and share the prasad.
5. 5Share the food of the day with family or neighbours before eating yourself.

No fast is prescribed. Many eat khichdi, and some take only til-gur foods until the sun offering is done.

• ×Fixing the puja by the clock instead of the tithi. Sun's entry into Makara (Capricorn) can begin or end part-way through the day in your city, so check your Panchang the evening before.
• ×Gathering samagri on the morning itself. Items such as til (sesame) and gur (jaggery), whole and as laddoo and new rice and freshly harvested grain are often unavailable at the last minute.
• ×Treating the feasting as the whole observance and skipping the offering and the story that give the day its meaning.
• ×Taking one region's practice as the only correct one. Called Pongal in Tamil Nadu (four days, centred on the boiling-over pot), Magh Bihu in Assam, Uttarayan in Gujarat with kite flying, Maghi in Punjab, and Khichdi in the Gangetic plain.
• ×Rushing the steps without knowing why each one is done, which makes the observance hard to repeat next year.

Called Pongal in Tamil Nadu (four days, centred on the boiling-over pot), Magh Bihu in Assam, Uttarayan in Gujarat with kite flying, Maghi in Punjab, and Khichdi in the Gangetic plain. The reckoning of the sankranti moment itself differs between the sidereal and tropical calculations.

Regional scope

Pan-Indian practice, with regional notes given above

Last reviewed

September 2026

Reviewed by

DharmaPath editorial team, from traditional texts and household practice

Explanations here are written in our own words from traditional sources; timings, muhurta and local custom should be confirmed with your Panchang or family priest.