Makar Sankranti infromation 2020-makar sankranti meaning and image

Makar Sankranti infromation 2020 - 15 January

Makar Sankranti festival, unlike other Hindu festivals, is not dependent on the position of the moon, but on position of the sun. On this day, the sun enters the zodiac sign of Capricorn. To compensate for the difference that occurs due to the revolution around the sun, every eighty years the day of Sankrantiis postponed by one day. In the present period Makar-Sankrantifalls on 14th January.

History of Makar Sankranti

Sankranti is considered a Deity. According to a legend Sankranti killed a

demon named Sankarasur. The day followed by Makar Sankrantis called Kinkrant or Karidin. On this day, the female deity (devi) slayed the demon Kinkarasur.

Information of Makar Sankranti

Makar Sankranti is the day from which the northward movement of the

sun begins. The period from KarkaSankranti(the passage of the sun into the zodiac sign of Cancer) to Makar Sankranti is called the dakshinayan. A person who dies in the dakshinayan period has a greater chance of going to Yamalok (southward region), than one who dies during uttarayan (northward revolution).

Makar Sankranti's importance from the point of view of spiritual

practice: On the day of Makar Sankranti, from sunrise to sunset, the environment has more chaitanya (Divine conscious-ness); hence those doing spiritual practice can benefit from this chaitanya.

Methods of celebration of Makar Sankranti

1. Benefit of highest merit acquired by a Holy dip on the day of Makar Sankranti: The time from sunrise to sunset on Makar-Sankrantiis auspicious. A Holy dip during this period carries special significance. Those who take a Holy dip in the rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Krushna and Kaveri at the Holy places situated on the banks of these rivers acquire the highest merit.

2. Makar Sankranti Offering: Importance of making an offering during an auspicious period: The period from Makar Sankranti to Rathsaptami is an auspicious period. Any donation and meritorious deeds in this period prove more fruitful.

Substances offered on Makar Sankranti: An offering of new vessels, clothing, food, sesame seeds, pot of sesame seeds, jaggery, a cow, a horse, gold or land should be made depending on the capability. On this day, married women also make some offering. They take things from unmarried girls and give them sesame seeds and jaggery in return. Married women organise a ceremony of haldi-kumkum (applying vermilion and turmeric to the forehead) and gift articles to other married women.

3. Importance of haldi-kumkum ceremony performed by married women on Makar Sankranti : Performing haldi-kumkum (Turmeric powder and saffron) ceremony is in a way invoking the waves of dormant Adi-shakti in the Universe to get activated. This helps in creating impression of Sagun (Materialised) devotion on the mind of an individual and enhances his bhav (Spiritual emotion) unto God.

3 A. Steps in haldi-kumkum ceremony

3 A 1. Applying haldi-kumkum : Applying haldi-kumkum to a suvasini (A married woman whose husband is alive) activates the dormant Principle of Sri Durgadevi in her and bestows well-being to the applier suvasini.

3 A 2. Applying perfume : Fragrant particles emitting from the perfume please the Principle of the Deity and bestow well-being to the applier suvasini within a shorter period.

3 A 3. Sprinkling rose-water : The fragrant waves emitted by the rose-water activate the waves of the Deity and purifies the environment, and the suvasini who sprinkles it gets greater benefit of the activated Sagun Principle of the Deity.

3 A 4. Offering a gift : A gift offered is always supported by the end of the pallu of the sari. Offering a gift to another suvasini amounts to surrendering to the divinity in her, through sacrifice of body, mind and wealth. Giving support of the end of pallu of the sari means leaving attachment to even the clothes worn on the body and thus learning to overcome body awareness. Since the period of sankranti is favourable for sadhana, a gift given during this period pleases the Deities quickly and they bestow the donor suvasini with the desired fruit.

What should be gifted ? : Instead of gifting non-dharmik commodities like soap, plastic items etc., objects complementary to Spirituality and are indicators of a married life, such as incense-sticks, ubtan (Fragrant herbal powder), religious and Holy texts, pictures of Deities, CDs on spiritual topics etc. should be gifted.

3 A 5. Small mud pots: The festival of Sankranti requires small mud pots called sugad (in the Marathi language). Vermilion and turmeric powder is applied to the pots and a thread is tied to them. They are filled with carrots, jujube fruits, sugarcane pieces, pods, cotton, chickpeas, sesame seeds with jaggery, vermilion, turmeric etc. Five pots are placed on a wooden seat, rangoli is drawn around the seat and worshipped. Of these, three are gifted to married women, one is offered to the tulsi plant and one is retained.

Makar Sankranti - Subtle effect of Seasame

4. Use of sesame seeds: Maximum use of sesame seeds is made during Sankranti festival. For example, bathing with water containing sesame seeds and eating and distributing tilgul (a sweet made from sesame seeds), offering sesame to Brahmans, lighting lamps of sesame oil in a temple of Lord Shiva and performing pitrushraddh (rite for the departed ancestors) in which an offering of sesame seeds is made.

Maharashtra

In Maharashtra on the Sankranti day people exchange multi-colored tilguds made from til (sesame seeds) and sugar and til-laddus made from til and jaggery. Til-polis are offered for lunch. While exchanging tilguls as tokens of goodwill people greet each other saying – ‘til-gul ghya, god god bola’ meaning ‘accept these tilguls and speak sweet words’. The under-lying thought in the exchange of tilguls is to forget the past ill-feelings and hostilities and resolve to speak sweetly and remain friends.

This is a special day for the women in Maharashtra when married women are invited for a get-together called ‘Haldi-Kumkum’ and given gifts of any utensil, which the woman of the house purchases on that day. Hindus wear ornaments made of 'Halwa' on this day.