Makar Sankranti is the main festival of Hindus. When the Sun enters Capricorn in Paush month, this festival is celebrated. While usually it falls on January 14, this year Makar Sankranti will be celebrated on 15 January. Makar Sankranti also causes changes to the season. Similar to Punjabi festival Lohri, it signifies the advent of warmer day and the end of bitter cold days. The days also start to get longer. Sakranti means ‘the movement of the Sun’, and Makar Sakranti is the formost and the most important of the 12 Sakrantis that fall in the year.
Makar Sakranti usually falls on January 14 but as per drik panchang, it falls on January 15 this year. The auspicious time of this day is from 7:15 in the morning to 6:21 in the evening and from 7:15 in the morning to 09:06 in the morning. Auspicious Yogas like Variyaan Yoga and Ravi Yoga are also going to be formed on this day. Which are considered very special in astrology. According to Udayatithi, Makar Sankranti will be celebrated this time on 15th January. On this day, Sun will enter Capricorn at 2:54 pm.
On this day, works like bathing and charity are considered of special importance. Devouts also take a dip in the holy rivers of Ganga and Yamuna on this day. On the day of Makar Sankranti, making and eating khichdi has special significance. For this reason, this festival is also called the festival of khichdi in many places. It is believed that on this festival, Sun God comes to meet his son Shani. It becomes very important due to the relation of Sun and Saturn with this festival. Generally, the rise of Venus is also almost at this time, so auspicious works begin from here.
Makar Sakranti also signifies the beginning of a new year according to Hindu Pachang. People buy new belongings and get rid of the old ones in the hopes of good luck and prosperity in the coming year. Lord Indra and Lord Surya are both worshipped this day in the hopes of a bountiful and plenty harvest.