Makar Sankranti 2024: Sankranti comes every month but Makar Sankranti comes only once in a year which is considered the most special. According to Vrat Chandrika Utsav Chapter Number 34, Sankranti or transition in Sanskrit language means moving from one place to another. Therefore, the Sun’s entry into the zodiac sign Capricorn ‘Makar Sankranti’ They say.
According to scholars, the Earth keeps revolving around the Sun. The path of travel of the Sun is called revolution. From the beginning till the end, this revolution has been divided into twelve divisions and each division has been given the name of one zodiac sign. Thus we have twelve zodiac signs – (1) Aries, (2) Taurus, (3) Gemini, (4) Cancer, (5) Leo, (6) Virgo, (7) Libra, (8) Scorpio, (9) ) Sagittarius, (10) Capricorn, (11) Aquarius and (12) Pisces.
When the Earth revolves around the Sun, it takes a full year to complete this task, one twelfth of which is a month. Just as the Earth revolves around the Sun, the Moon revolves around the Earth. It takes one month to complete one circumambulation of it. This month is called Chandramaas. The moon in which the Sun transitions to the Aries part of the ecliptic is called Chaitramas and the transition to Taurus is called Vaishakh. Similarly, the transition that occurs in the lunar month of Pausha month is called ‘Makar Sankranti’.
Although this Sankranti happens every month, but the transition of Capricorn and Cancer is considered of great importance. Both these infections occur at an interval of six months. In this, Makar Sankranti indicates Sun’s Uttarayan and Cancer Sankranti indicates Dakshinayan. The period of these six months is called Ayana. During the Uttarayan period, the Sun appears to be bending towards the north and during the Dakshinayan period, the Sun appears to be bending towards the south. In the state of Uttarayan, the day is longer and the night is shorter and in the state of Dakshinayan, the night is longer and the day is shorter.
Makar Sankranti fasting method:-
On the first day of Makar Sankranti, one should eat food only once and in the morning of Makar Sankranti, one should take oil bath with water. It is also written that: – Purvedyarechbhukten dantdhaavan-purvakamsam. Revolution-Vasare Prapte Tilai: Snanam Samacharet. (Eating sesame seeds and bathing on the day of Sankranti is said to be the best).
According to Matsya Purana 98.3–6, on the day of Surya Sankranti, create an eight-petalled lotus with Karnika on the ground with sandalwood and invoke the Sun on it. in Karnika ‘Surya Namah’Purvadalpar ‘Adityaya Namah’on the lake located at Agnikon ‘Ushnarchishe Namah’Dakshindalpar ‘Rimandalai Namah’on the south-west side ‘Savitre Namah’Paschimdalpar ‘Tapanay Namah’on the northwest side ‘Bhagay Namah’Uttardalpar ‘Martandaya Namah’ and on the north-east side ‘Vishnave Namah’ Install the Sun God and worship him again and again. After that, he should be worshiped on the altar also with sandalwood, garland, fruits and food items.
- Sesame seeds have great importance in Makar Sankranti. Take bath with sesame seeds only on this day. Applying paste of sesame seeds, havan made of sesame seeds, water made of sesame seeds, food made of sesame seeds and charity, these six deeds should be done with sesame seeds only. Because it destroys sins.
- According to Padma Purana Section 6 (Uttarakhand) 42.21:- Tilsnaayi Tilodvarti Tilhomi Tilodaki. The giver of the oil, the enjoyer, the Shattilaah, the destruction of sin. (Donating sesame seeds destroys sins).
- By making an octagonal lotus from sandalwood, one should invoke Suryanarayan in it and worship as per the prescribed procedure. There is great significance in donating ghee and blankets in this month. It is written in ‘Shiv Rahasya’ that:- Maghe Masi Mahadev! Yah Kuryat Ghrit-Kambalam. Sa Bhuktva Sakalan Bhogan, Ante Mokshan Cha Vindati ॥ (Mahadev in the month of Magh! He who makes ghee and blankets, after enjoying all kinds of pleasures, he finally attains liberation).
- Makar Sankranti is called ‘Khichdi’ in the eastern districts of Uttar Pradesh. The reason for this is that on this day people take bath in the Ganga and eat only Khichdi, in the present form only Khichdi is donated. Taking bath in Ganga and eating Khichdi is done on this day. On this day, there is a huge crowd of pilgrims to take bath in Ganga and eating sesame seeds is also considered important.
- In Maharashtra, lucky women give turmeric, sesame seeds and jaggery to their friends. There is a tradition of bathing and donating sesame seeds in Bengal province also. Thus, it is known that the local customs of charity etc. are different in each province.
Importance of flying kite on Makar Sankranti
There is a custom of flying kites on this day in Gujarat, people there consider it a symbol of freedom and celebrate this festival by flying kites with great enthusiasm. A huge fair of Makar Sankranti is organized in Gangasagar. Thousands of people gather there to take bath in the sea on this occasion and the heart becomes elated after seeing the devotion and reverence of the people there. The festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated with different customs in different provinces. This is called ‘unity in diversity’.
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[नोट- उपरोक्त दिए गए विचार लेखक के व्यक्तिगत विचार हैं. यह ज़रूरी नहीं है कि एबीपी न्यूज़ ग्रुप इससे सहमत हो. इस लेख से जुड़े सभी दावे या आपत्ति के लिए सिर्फ लेखक ही जिम्मेदार है.]