Sankranthi is a festival that I have always looked forward to celebrate when I was a kid. It is a festival that comes after almost 3 months of Diwali. It is also a festival where I was always given new clothes to wear, so I was always looking forward to it. Another part that I loved about this festival was kite flying. I used to have immense fun with my cousins and friends in flying kites, having a competition with others and trying to cut (“patang katgayi!!!”) others’ kites and then flying those kites in front of them. Though as a kid, I knew very vaguely as to why we celebrated this festival, over the years I learnt a lot about the traditions and the reasons behind them. Here I share what I know.
Makara Sankranthi is a very important festival in Andhra Pradesh. This festival is celebrated in different parts of India by various names like Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Lohri in Punjab and by many other names in other parts. Though, different states celebrate it with distinct traditions and various names, everybody essentially celebrates the end of winter season and the start of harvest season. It is celebrated every year on January 14th. Makara Sankranthi marks the transition of the sun from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn or from Dakshinayana to Uttarayana. The movement of the sun from one zodiac sign to another is called Sankranthi and as the sun moves into Capricorn zodiac known as Makara in Telugu, this occasion is names as Makara Sankranthi.
In Andhra Pradesh, this festival is celebrated for three days, 13th, 14th and 15th January. Houses are spruced up and women-folk vie with each other displaying their drawing skills in a variety of eye-catching and artistic Colorful Rangoli or “Muggulu” in their neatly swept front-yards sprinkled with cow-dung water (or sometimes just plain water). “Gobbemmalu” or balls of cowdung decked with marigold flowers are placed on the rangoli. “Gangireddu” or “Basavanna” - a decked up bull, “sannai mellalu” - people playing instruments and “buda-bukkalu” - dressed up artists go around houses singing songs and collecting gifts and alms during these days.
The first day (13th Jan) is celebrated as Bhogi festival in the honor of Lord Indra, “the God of Clouds and Rains”. Lord Indra is worshiped for good rains which will give an abundance of harvest and thereby bring prosperity to the land. The Puranas state that it was on this day that Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhana Mountains on his little pinky finger. The day starts off very early with the whole household coming together to light a bonfire out of old clothes, firewood, cow-dung and useless household articles. This bonfire is called “Bhogi Manta” and it is lit before the traditional oil bath. The significance of the bonfire is to keep warm during the last lap of the winter and also to burn out the old and start afresh! This day is a special day for the kids. Kids are decked with new clothes and jewelry. In the evening, all the elders bless them by pouring small fruits called “Bhogi Pallu” on their heads.
The second day (14th Jan) is celebrated as Makara Sankranthi. We call it “Pedda Panduga” or the Big Festival. Traditional food items like chakkera pongali, bobbatlu, gaarelu, ariselu, pulihora are made. In the telangana region of Andhra Pradesh, kids and elders alike spend the day flying kites, having competitions with kite flying. The sky looks colorful with kites of different colors, shapes and sizes being flown by everybody till the evening.
The third day (15th Jan) is celebrate as Kanuma or “Pasuvula Pandaga”. The festival is dedicated to cows, bulls and buffaloes that are a part of the rural economy in India. On this day the cattle are bathed and decorated with turmeric and saffron. They are taken to the temples and pujas are performed.
Makara Sankranthi is a very important festival in Andhra Pradesh. This festival is celebrated in different parts of India by various names like Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Lohri in Punjab and by many other names in other parts. Though, different states celebrate it with distinct traditions and various names, everybody essentially celebrates the end of winter season and the start of harvest season. It is celebrated every year on January 14th. Makara Sankranthi marks the transition of the sun from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn or from Dakshinayana to Uttarayana. The movement of the sun from one zodiac sign to another is called Sankranthi and as the sun moves into Capricorn zodiac known as Makara in Telugu, this occasion is names as Makara Sankranthi.
In Andhra Pradesh, this festival is celebrated for three days, 13th, 14th and 15th January. Houses are spruced up and women-folk vie with each other displaying their drawing skills in a variety of eye-catching and artistic Colorful Rangoli or “Muggulu” in their neatly swept front-yards sprinkled with cow-dung water (or sometimes just plain water). “Gobbemmalu” or balls of cowdung decked with marigold flowers are placed on the rangoli. “Gangireddu” or “Basavanna” - a decked up bull, “sannai mellalu” - people playing instruments and “buda-bukkalu” - dressed up artists go around houses singing songs and collecting gifts and alms during these days.
The first day (13th Jan) is celebrated as Bhogi festival in the honor of Lord Indra, “the God of Clouds and Rains”. Lord Indra is worshiped for good rains which will give an abundance of harvest and thereby bring prosperity to the land. The Puranas state that it was on this day that Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhana Mountains on his little pinky finger. The day starts off very early with the whole household coming together to light a bonfire out of old clothes, firewood, cow-dung and useless household articles. This bonfire is called “Bhogi Manta” and it is lit before the traditional oil bath. The significance of the bonfire is to keep warm during the last lap of the winter and also to burn out the old and start afresh! This day is a special day for the kids. Kids are decked with new clothes and jewelry. In the evening, all the elders bless them by pouring small fruits called “Bhogi Pallu” on their heads.
The second day (14th Jan) is celebrated as Makara Sankranthi. We call it “Pedda Panduga” or the Big Festival. Traditional food items like chakkera pongali, bobbatlu, gaarelu, ariselu, pulihora are made. In the telangana region of Andhra Pradesh, kids and elders alike spend the day flying kites, having competitions with kite flying. The sky looks colorful with kites of different colors, shapes and sizes being flown by everybody till the evening.
The third day (15th Jan) is celebrate as Kanuma or “Pasuvula Pandaga”. The festival is dedicated to cows, bulls and buffaloes that are a part of the rural economy in India. On this day the cattle are bathed and decorated with turmeric and saffron. They are taken to the temples and pujas are performed.
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