Makar Sankranti 2020

MakarSankrantiiscelebratedon14thor15thJanuaryeveryyear.Intheyear2020,MakarSankrantiwillbecelebratedon15thJanuary.MakarSankrantiiscelebratedmainlyinNorthernandWesternIndia.SweetspreparedusingsesameseedsaredistributedontheoccasionofMakarSankranti.ReadontoknowmoreaboutthesignificanceofMakarSankranti.MakarSankrantiisaveryimportantIndianfestivalwhichiscelebratedinmanypartsofthecountryandalsoinsomeotherpartsoftheworldwithgreatfervorandgusto.MakarSankrantiisaharvestfestivalcelebratedbytheHinducommunitiesinthestatesofBihar,Bengal,Punjab,Gujarat,MaharashtraandRajasthan.AspertheHinducalendaritisonthisdaythattheSunentersintotheZodiacCapricornor"Makara".Alsoreferredtoas"UttarayanaPunyakalam"thisisthestartingofspringseason.PeopleworshiptherisingSunonthisdaybyofferingwaterandflowerswithboththehands.ThereafterGayatriMantraischantedwhileprayingforknowledge,wisdomandenlightenment."Tarpan"isalsoofferedbymanyfortheirancestors.InthisarticleSignificanceofMakarSankrantiMakarSankrantiRitualsTheRoleofSesameSeedsinMakarSankrantiFestivalTilLadduRecipeSignificanceofMakarSankrantiItisbelievedthatLordSuryavisitshissonLordShanionthisday.Legendhasitthatthisfatherandsonnevergotalongordinarily.However,despitedifferencesonthedayofMakarSankrantiLordSunmakesitapointtovisitShaniwhichsymbolisestheimportanceoffathersonrelationship.Therefore,peopleinthenorthIndiavisittheirsonsandbuythemgiftsonthisday.Itisconsideredasanauspiciousdaytoforgivepastquarrelsandstartrelationshipsafresh.MakarSankrantiRitualsSimplefoodlike"Khichdi"ispreparedonMakaraSankrantiday.DishesmadeoutofSesame(Til)aremadeandexchanged.SweetsmadeoutofTilisexchangedasmarkoffriendship.ThesymbolicmeaningistoemulatethequalityofTilgul-tosticktogethereveninthefaceofadversity.TraditionallyonthedayofMakarSankrantidaypeoplehavearitualbathinUttarPradesh.ThesacredmeetingplaceatAllahabad-theconfluenceoftheGangaandYamuna-isanimportantplaceforholybaths.PeoplealloverNorthandWestIndiaflykitesandfeastonsweetsmadefromsesameseedsduringthisfestival.InsomepartsofwesternIndialikeGujaratkiteflyingcompetitionsareorganisedduringthisoccasion.InMaharashtra,TilgulatypeofLaddumadeoutofTilareexchangedbetweenfriendsandrelatives.WhilegivingtheLaddusthereisatraditionofsaying-TilgulGhyaGodGodBola.MarriedwomeninMaharashtraapplyHaldi-Kumkumoneach-othersforehead.SomehousesinvitemarriedwomenforHaldiKumkumceremonyanddistributegifts.TheRoleofSesameSeedsinMakarSankrantiFestivalExtensiveuseofsesameseedsismadeduringSankrantifestival.Thisincludesfollowing.BathinginwatertowhichsesameseedshavebeenaddedEatinganddistributingTilgul-asweetmadefromsesameseeds.GivingDakshinaofsesameseedstoBrahmansLightinglampsofsesameoilinatempleofLordShivaPerformingPitrushraddh(religiousrightforthedepartedancestors)inwhichanofferingofsesameseedsismade.AccordingtoAyurvedasincethisfestivalfallsduringwinterseasonhavingsesameseedsprovidesthebodythemuchneededheatandkeepitwarm.Sesameseedshaveagreaterabilitytoabsorbandemit"Sattva"frequenciesbecauseofwhichhavingfoodcontainingsesameisconsideredtobespiritual.SimilarlydistributingandexchangingTilgulresultsinanexchangeofthe"Sattva"component.ItisbelievedthattheuseofsesameseedsinSharddhceremoniespreventsdemonsfrombringingobstaclesduringtherite.TilLadduRecipeTilLaddualsoknownassesameseedballsisaverypopularsweetwhichpeopleeatanddistributetoothersduringSankaranti.HereisaneasyrecipetoprepareTilLaddu.IngredientsPolishedsesame/Til-500gmsChikkijaggery-500gms1cuproastedpeanutscrushed1cupdala(Dalia-whichisusedinChivada)1cupgrateddrycoconut1/4cuppureghee1teaspooncardamompowderMethodofPreparationRoastsesameseedsinapantillitisgoldenbrownincolor.Similarlyroastdrygratedcoconutfor4-5minutes.BoilChikkijaggeryinapan.TocheckifthejaggeryhasmeltedandisofrightconsistencytomakeLaddustakewaterinacupandputdropofjaggeryinit.Allowittocool.Ifitformsasoftball,thenitisreadyforLaddus.Oncethejaggeryisdoneaddgheetothemixtureandkeepstirringitforacoupleofminutes.Lastlyaddroastedsesame,peanutscrush,gratedandroastedcoconut,dala,cardamompowderandmixwell.Greasepalmswithalittlegheeandmakesmallroundshapedladdusimmediately.

Makar Sankranti is celebrated on 14th or 15th January every year. In the year 2020, Makar Sankranti will be celebrated on 15th January. Makar Sankranti is celebrated mainly in Northern and Western India. Sweets prepared using sesame seeds are distributed on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. Read on to know more about the significance of Makar Sankranti.

Makar Sankranti is a very important Indian festival which is celebrated in many parts of the country and also in some other parts of the world with great fervor and gusto. Makar Sankranti is a harvest festival celebrated by the Hindu communities in the states of Bihar, Bengal, Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.As per the Hindu calendar it is on this day that the Sun enters into the Zodiac Capricorn or "Makara". Also referred to as "Uttarayana Punyakalam" this is the starting of spring season. People worship the rising Sun on this day by offering water and flowers with both the hands. Thereafter Gayatri Mantra is chanted while praying for knowledge, wisdom and enlightenment. "Tarpan" is also offered by many for their ancestors.

Significance of Makar Sankranti

It is believed that Lord Surya visits his son Lord Shani on this day. Legend has it that this father and son never got along ordinarily. However, despite differences on the day of Makar Sankranti Lord Sun makes it a point to visit Shani which symbolises the importance of father son relationship. Therefore, people in the north India visit their sons and buy them gifts on this day. It is considered as an auspicious day to forgive past quarrels and start relationships afresh.

Makar Sankranti Rituals

Simple food like "Khichdi" is prepared on Makara Sankranti day. Dishes made out of Sesame (Til) are made and exchanged. Sweets made out of Til is exchanged as mark of friendship. The symbolic meaning is to emulate the quality of Tilgul - to stick together even in the face of adversity.Traditionally on the day of Makar Sankranti day people have a ritual bath in Uttar Pradesh. The sacred meeting place at Allahabad- the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna- is an important place for holy baths. People all over North and West India fly kites and feast on sweets made from sesame seeds during this festival. In some parts of western India like Gujarat kite flying competitions are organised during this occasion.In Maharashtra, Tilgul a type of Laddu made out of Til are exchanged between friends and relatives. While giving the Laddu's there is a tradition of saying - 'Tilgul Ghya God God Bola'. Married women in Maharashtra apply Haldi-Kumkum on each-other's forehead. Some houses invite married women for Haldi Kumkum ceremony and distribute gifts.

The Role of Sesame Seeds in Makar Sankranti Festival

Extensive use of sesame seeds is made during Sankranti festival. This includes following.

• Bathing in water to which sesame seeds have been added
• Eating and distributing Tilgul- a sweet made from sesame seeds.
• Giving Dakshina of sesame seeds to Brahmans
• Lighting lamps of sesame oil in a temple of Lord Shiva
• Performing Pitrushraddh (religious right for the departed ancestors) in which an offering of sesame seeds is made.

According to Ayurveda since this festival falls during winter season having sesame seeds provides the body the much needed heat and keep it warm. Sesame seeds have a greater ability to absorb and emit "Sattva" frequencies because of which having food containing sesame is considered to be spiritual. Similarly distributing and exchanging Tilgul results in an exchange of the "Sattva" component. It is believed that the use of sesame seeds in Sharddh ceremonies prevents demons from bringing obstacles during the rite.

Til Laddu Recipe

Til Laddu also known as sesame seed balls is a very popular sweet which people eat and distribute to others during Sankaranti. Here is an easy recipe to prepare Til Laddu.IngredientsPolished sesame/ Til- 500 gmsChikki jaggery - 500 gms1 cup roasted peanuts crushed1 cup dala (Dalia - which is used in Chivada)1 cup grated dry coconut1/4 cup pure ghee1 teaspoon cardamom powderMethod of PreparationRoast sesame seeds in a pan till it is golden brown in color. Similarly roast dry grated coconut for 4-5 minutes.Boil Chikki jaggery in a pan. To check if the jaggery has melted and is of right consistency to make Laddus take water in a cup and put drop of jaggery in it. Allow it to cool. If it forms a soft ball, then it is ready for Laddus. Once the jaggery is done add ghee to the mixture and keep stirring it for a couple of minutes. Lastly add roasted sesame, peanuts crush, grated and roasted coconut, dala, cardamom powder and mix well. Grease palms with a little ghee and make small round shaped laddus immediately.