Makar Sankranti मकर संक्रांती
The Sun turns north - the great harvest festival of Pongal, Lohri and Uttarayan.
- Sun enters
- Makara (Capricorn)
- Around
- mid-January (~14 Jan)
- Ayana
- Uttarayana (northward)
- Worship
- Surya (the Sun)
Significance
Makar Sankranti is the greatest of the twelve Sankrantis and one of the few Hindu festivals set by the solar calendar, so its Gregorian date - around 14 January - barely moves from year to year. It is the day the Sun enters Makara (Capricorn) and traditionally turns to its northward, auspicious course, Uttarayana. It is above all a harvest thanksgiving, marking the end of the cold, dark days and the promise of longer, brighter ones.
How it is observed
Sesame and jaggery sweets (til-gul) are shared with the words 'take this sweet and speak sweetly'; devotees take a holy dip at sacred rivers - the Ganga Sagar mela at the mouth of the Ganga and the Sangam at Prayagraj draw vast crowds - and give food, sesame and warm clothing in charity. Kites fill the sky in Gujarat, and new-harvest rice is cooked in almost every region.
Regional names
Makar Sankranti is celebrated under many names: Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Lohri on its eve in Punjab, Uttarayan with its famous kites in Gujarat, Magh or Bhogali Bihu in Assam, Khichdi in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Poush Sankranti in Bengal, Makara Sankramana / Suggi in Karnataka and simply Sankranti with til-gul in Maharashtra and the Telugu states.
The Sun’s course
Makar Sankranti falls in the Sun’s Uttarayana - its northward, brighter half of the year. The year’s two turning points are Makar Sankranti (the turn to Uttarayana, mid-January) and Karka Sankranti (the turn to Dakshinayana, mid-July). See the full Sankranti guide for all twelve solar ingresses of the year.
Frequently asked questions
What is Makar Sankranti?
Makar Sankranti is the greatest of the twelve Sankrantis and one of the few Hindu festivals set by the solar calendar, so its Gregorian date - around 14 January - barely moves from year to year. It is the day the Sun enters Makara (Capricorn) and traditionally turns to its northward, auspicious course, Uttarayana. It is above all a harvest thanksgiving, marking the end of the cold, dark days and the promise of longer, brighter ones.
When is Makar Sankranti in Mumbai, MH?
Makar Sankranti falls in mid-January (~14 Jan); the next one for Mumbai, MH is on 15 January 2027. Being set by the solar calendar, its date barely shifts from year to year.
Which sign does the Sun enter on Makar Sankranti?
On Makar Sankranti the Sun leaves the previous sign and enters Makara (Capricorn), the tenth sign of the zodiac. This falls in the Sun's Uttarayana (northward) course.
How is Makar Sankranti observed?
Sesame and jaggery sweets (til-gul) are shared with the words 'take this sweet and speak sweetly'; devotees take a holy dip at sacred rivers - the Ganga Sagar mela at the mouth of the Ganga and the Sangam at Prayagraj draw vast crowds - and give food, sesame and warm clothing in charity. Kites fill the sky in Gujarat, and new-harvest rice is cooked in almost every region.
Last updated 26 July 2026