If you consider India as a wide canvas, the festivals are like bright jolts and splashes of colours. Most festivals in the nation are celebrated to cherish the indigenous significances all around India. Diversity is another name of the festivals of India, and harvest is the most colourful festival in this agriculture-based country. Let us get to know about four festivals named Pongal, Magh bihu, Lohri and Makar Sankranti are celebrated to express the joy of having crops in one’s possession, immediately after Makar Sankranti.
Discussing Pongal, Magh bihu, Lohri Makar Sankranti
1. Pongal
Moving down to South India, you can find a platter of festivals with bright and light colours! Pongal is one of the festivals which spark the ignition of joy among the people who harvest sugarcane and rice. Pongal is celebrated for four days and it comes around the period of Makar Sankranti as well. Pious processions are carried out during these four days and people significantly paint their cattle and houses out of joy.
2. Magh Bihu
North East India is extremely well-known for its strange and rich culture. The same spirit of harvest which floats around the nation during the period of Makar Sankranti is carried out to the vast fields of Assam as well. Cooking inside bamboo huts is customary during this time. This festival indicates that the time for harvest is over and the crop has been good for that year. Again, people celebrate by sharing their homemade delicacies at this festival.
Also Read – Origin, Meaning And Traditions Of Christmas Day Celebrations
3. Lohri
Imagine a large bonfire around which people are dancing and showing their love for the Gods who have allowed the crops to bloom. This is Lohri, one of the harvest festivals of India which is celebrated a day before Makar Sankranti. There are some sweet delicacies like rewri (sesame seeds and jaggery) and chikki (peanuts and jaggery) which are peculiarly cooked in this festival. The end of the sowing season is marked with the celebration of Lohri. This festival is mostly celebrated in the North Indian regions.
4. Makar Sankranti
Makar Sankranti is just a day after Lohri and is celebrated mostly in North India. People believe that this festival marks the end of winter and the brighter days are just on the threshold. The river Ganges is considered very holy and thus, people take dips in the water on various occasions including Makar Sankranti and offer their prayers to the Sun. Flying kites is a traditional ritual during this time of the year.
Conclusion
The time period around Makar Sankranti is dotted with several festivals. It is indeed a very happy time for the nation. Pongal, Magh bihu, Lohri and Makar Sankranti are celebrated around different corners of India. People come together, forget their differences and celebrate the singular joy of having crops in their houses.
For more related posts, visit Discover.