Makar Sankranti 2020: Date, Significance and All You Need to Know

That time of the year is back again when every corner of the country is gearing up for the end of the winter season and harvest seasons.

Celebrations mean varied range of delicacies, especially during Makar Sankranti. It is also marked with kite flying, attending fairs aside from finger-licking food.

This year, Makar Sankranti 2020 will be celebrated on January 14.

When is Makar Sankranti 2020?

According to the Hindu solar calendar, the festival is usually celebrated on the date when the Sun begins its Northward movement and hence, the days become longer than the nights. It falls in the solar month of Makara and lunar month of Magha, which is also why the festival is popular as both Makar Sankranti and Magha Sankranti.

Why is Makar Sankranti celebrated?

For an agriculture-dependent country like India, it means the end of cold, unyielding winters. The six-month auspicious phase according to Hindu scriptures, known as Uttarayana, also begins on the day of Sankranti.

What are the customs associated with Makar Sankranti in different parts of the country?

In Rajasthan, married women present gifts related to household and cosmetics to 13 married women. They also offer snacks such as til patti, gajak, kheer, til laddoo and ghevar. Kite flying is also widely followed.

How is Makar Sankranti 2020 Celebrated in Delhi?

In Delhi, both Lohri 2020 and Makar Sankranti are celebrated. Lohri usually falls a day before Makar Sankranti and hence will be celebrated on January 13 this year. Delhiites will be flying kites to mark the celebrations of Makar Sankranti.