🌞 5 Things To Do During Makar Sankranti – With Kite Flying Tips & Festival Traditions Explained 🎉🪁
Makar Sankranti marks the sun’s transition into Makara Rashi (Capricorn), heralding longer and warmer days. It’s celebrated across India with different regional names like Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Lohri (Punjab), Uttarayan (Gujarat), and Magh Bihu (Assam). Here are 5 meaningful things you can do during this auspicious festival, along with tips for enjoying one of its most iconic traditions: kite flying!
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| 🌞 5 Things To Do During Makar Sankranti – With Kite Flying Tips & Festival Traditions Explained 🎉🪁 |
🎈 1. Fly Kites – Soar with the Spirit of Sankranti
Why: Kite flying represents the uplifting of human spirit and the joy of longer sunny days.
Tips:
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Choose the right kite – Lightweight paper or plastic kites with strong frames work best in mild winds.
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Use sharp & safe manjha – Go for eco-friendly, cotton-based manjha instead of glass-coated strings.
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Check the wind direction before launching – Stand with the wind at your back.
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Wear sunglasses & gloves to protect eyes and hands.
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Avoid rooftops without railings – Safety first while enjoying the skies!
🛕 2. Perform Traditional Rituals and Offerings
Why: The day is spiritually significant – people bathe in holy rivers, offer prayers, and thank Surya (the Sun God) for his energy and blessings.
How:
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Wake up early, take a holy bath, and offer water (Arghya) to the rising sun.
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Donate til (sesame), gur (jaggery), blankets, and food to the needy – it's believed to earn punya (merit).
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Light a diya with ghee in the Tulsi plant area to bring auspiciousness.
🏠 3. Decorate Your Home – Invite Prosperity
Why: A clean, decorated home reflects positive energy and is a symbol of welcoming new beginnings.
Ideas:
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Draw rangoli or kolam at the entrance with rice flour or natural colors.
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Hang Torans (door garlands) made of mango leaves or marigolds.
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Use brass or clay lamps, decorate with flowers and vibrant drapes.
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In South India, sugarcane stalks and turmeric plants are also tied at doorways.
🍚 4. Enjoy Traditional Foods and Sweets
Why: Sankranti cuisine is rich with ingredients like sesame, jaggery, rice, and pulses – all seasonal, nourishing, and symbolic.
Delicacies to try:
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Tilgul laddoo (Maharashtra): “Tilgul ghya, god god bola” – share sweets and speak sweetly!
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Pongal (Tamil Nadu): A sweet and savory rice dish offered to the Sun God.
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Pithe & Payesh (Bengal): Rice-based sweets with coconut and jaggery.
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Chikki, khichdi, puran poli – every region has its festive flavors.
🔥 5. Celebrate with Family, Bonfires, and Cultural Gatherings
Why: Makar Sankranti is a festival of togetherness, warmth, and transition from darkness to light.
Activities:
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Gather with family for a bonfire (especially in Punjab’s Lohri).
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Sing traditional folk songs, dance to the dhol, and share stories.
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Watch or participate in kite-fighting contests or community feasts.
🎉 Final Thought:
Makar Sankranti is more than a harvest festival—it is a celebration of hope, renewal, and gratitude. Whether you're flying kites or lighting a diya, let the sunshine in your heart match the sunshine in the sky.
🪁 Happy Makar Sankranti! Let your spirit fly high and your home glow with joy! 🌞
