The festivity of Sankranti starts with the transition of the Sun into Capricorn, the tenth astrological sign in the Zodiac. It is the beginning of Uttarayana when the Sun starts moving northwards. Dhanurmasam is the final month with which the night for the Gods ends. The sankranti festival is celebrated across the country for three days. The first day is named Bhogi, the second day as Sankranti and the third as Kanuma. Special prayers to the Gods, different delicacies for each day, honouring the community, and adoring the cattle will be part of these celebrations. It is a harvest festival celebrated with joy and enthusiasm by one and all. This harvesting festival implies appeasing gods and manes. Donate what you possess for your wellbeing is a common belief.
Sankranti is a festival that signifies the beginning of the harvest season and marks a thanksgiving to God, the earth, and the cattle. It is different from other festivals as it comprises four days of celebration, each having a special significance. It is also called Makara Sankranti, triggering large scale celebrations by people thus giving it the name “Big festival” or Pedda Panduga. It also marks the beginning of Uttarayana as the Sun changes course towards northern direction. Uttarayana consists of six months period when the Sun moves into Northern Hemisphere and Dakshinayana is of remaining six months period when the Sun moves into Southern Hemisphere. Bhishmacharya of Mahabharata, waited for this day on Ampasayya (the bed of arrows) to ascend the Brahmaloka. Almost all of the Hindu festivals are celebrated according to the lunar calendar, where as Makara Sankranti is the only festival which is celebrated basing on solar calendar when the Sun transits from Sagittarius to Capricorn on the first day of the tenth solar month, the Makara masa.
Typically in Andhra Pradesh, Sankranti is celebrated for four days. The day before Makara Sankranti is known as Bhogi. This is literally a warm up for the big occasion. Soon after the bon fire is over, people young and old take oil bath, wear new clothes and visit temples nearby to pray God. This is almost the last day of Dhanurmasa comprising last half of the Margaseersha. Bhogipallu, a mixture of ripe red berries, small sugarcane pieces, coins, flowers are poured over the heads of small children aged from one month to five years. This is meant to ward off all evils and get the grace of Lord Vishnu. The women attach a lot of significance to the event and ensure participation of every child in the evening. Children as well as elders are dressed in new attire for the occasion.
Makara Sankranti is the most colourful harvest festival celebrated through out the country with different practices. On the day of Sankranti farmers will be enjoying the fruits of their yearlong labour in the form of paddy. The harvest festival is mainly observed as a thanks giving day to nature by the farmers who see the fruits of their toil in the form of paddy. A rich and abundant harvest of paddy is dependent on required rainfall at the right time. Consequently it is the auspicious occasion for a farmer to honour the Sun God and the God of rain Indra in the form of sweet cooked food with new rice and jaggery, “I give to you what you had given to me” is the dharmic principle behind this offer. A farmer considers agriculture as a ritual. “Namah savitre jagadeka chakshushe Jagat prasuti stitinasa he tave” Prostrations to you. O Sun God only you are the eye for the whole world. You are the cause of the origin, existence and destruction of the whole world. We belong to the solar system. The sun is the centre of the system to which earth belongs. We saw God in everything and everywhere-Sun, Moon, Rain, Air, Earth and in every atom. Sun is a visible manifestation of God. The traditional Indian calendar is based on lunar positions, but sankranti is a solar event. Sri Rama Navami, Janmashtami, Naraka Chaturdasi, Ganesh Chaturdi etc are celebrated based on thithis ie., lunar movements. Sankranti and Rathasaptami are celebrated according to the Sun’s transit.
There are 12 groups of stars called constellations. They are Mesha (Aries) 2) Vrishabham (Taurus) 3) Mithunam (Gemini) 4) Karkatakam (Cancer) 5) Simham (Leo) 6) Kanya (Virgo) 7) Tula (Libra) 8) Vrischika (Scorpion) 9) Dhanus (Sagittarius) 10) Makaram (Capricorn) 11) Kumbham (Acquarius) 12) Meenam (Pisces).
Makara Sankranti falls on the day of the year when the sun is in the Rasi of Makaram (Capricorn). This festival also marks the beginning of a six months auspicious period known as Uttarayana period. Sankranti is a festival of Sun God. According to astrology we find that each planet represents a plane of consciousness in our personality. The sun is said to represent the centre of pure consciousness and stands for knowledge, spiritual light and wisdom. The festival is observed by all classes of People not only for securing wealth, health and happiness but to obtain purity of mind and spiritual bliss. Sankranti is mainly celebrated over a period of 4 days. The first day is Bhogi. The second day is Makara Sankranti and the third and fourth days are Kanuma and Mukkanuma respectively.
A month prior to the festival every house wears a festive look. The houses are cleaned and white washed. All broken utensils are exchanged for new ones. Harvesting of the crops begin. It is winter. The atmosphere is cold. The front yards are swept and receive the sprinkling of dungmixed water. The front yard of the house gets added colour and beauty by the patterns (Rangavallis) drawn with mortar powder. In the cold atmosphere early in the morning women and girls holding the mortar powder between the thumb and index finger slowly letting it down to form various patterns as desired by them is an unique and picturesque feature in south Indian houses. Goddess Gowri and Lord Vinayaka are worshipped in the form of cowdung (Gobbemma) placed, on the patterns. The doors are decorated with mango leaves and flowers. Wearing of new clothes become the main topic of conversation days before the festival. This atmosphere keeps everyone in a happy mood till the festival of sankranti is celebrated.
The next day is Makara Sankranti. It is an occasion where elders are remembered and honoured and special poojas are conducted. Makara Sankranti is the most auspicious day for the orthodox Hindus and is celebrated in the myriad cultural forms with great devotion, fervour and gaiety. Lakhs of people take a holy dip in rivers like the Ganges, the Yamuna, the Krishna and the Godavari and pray to the Sun God. On Sankranti day, the Sun begins its ascendancy into the Northern Hemisphere and it signifies an event where in, Gods seem to remind their devotees to move from darkness to light ‘Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya’. Sankranti is followed by kanuma or cattle festival. The cattle sheds and cattle are cleaned and decorated. Lord Krishna is said to have performed the feat of lifting the Govardhana hill on this day and provided shelter to the entire community—men, women, children and the cows under the hill for seven days. After Kanuma is Mukkanuma festival when people arrange feasts, invite friends and relatives.
The women decorate the front yards of their houses with Rangavalli (Muggulu) with flowers, flour, and colours. Gobbemmalu (cow dung made into balls), decorated with flowers, red vermillion, and turmeric powder, are placed in front of the house. The girls sing songs and dance around the Gobbillu. Gobbemma is considered as a form of Gouri. Haridas is a special attraction of this festival. Bommala Koluvu (display of dolls) is another colourful event. Gangireddulu (Bull) melam is another attraction. The bulls are decorated with clothes, flowers and small bells. Children fly colourful kites. All these activities bring togetherness among the people. They forget their differences of sect, creed, and belief and enjoy the festivities with fervour.
In Tamil Nadu, people celebrate Sankranti as Pongal and it is observed for four days but the most important day of Pongal festivity is known as Thai Pongal on Makara Sankranti day. This is followed by Mattu Pongal and Kanuma Pongal. The day before Thai Pongal is known as Bhogi Pongal. In Kerala, the most important event of Sankranti is Makaravilakku. In North India, People take holy dip in the Ganga river on Makara Sankranti day. Thousands of people throng the Hindu pilgrimage centres like Haridwar, Kashi and Allahabad to take holy dip in the Ganga. It is believed that holy dip in Ganga on Sankranti day purges one of all sins committed by the people.
The celebration of Sankranti primarily marks thanksgiving to Lord Suryanarayana who always blesses the humanity with copious rains resulting in good harvests and with sound health. The festivities witness the manifestation of the glorious Telugu cultural heritage. It is popular among the women and Gobbi poolu and Gobbillu are placed on the Rangolis. Sankranti is the only big festival among scores of important festivals of the Hindu community, the date of occurrence of which does not vary much with each year and it usually falls on January 14th or just a day after. The air of festivity, culture and gaiety that prevail in every household during this period is a distinct feature that runs like a common thread through the rich age old Indian culture.
The First Day - Bhogi People take bath with sesame oil. They distribute sweets made of sesame and jaggery which are favourite dishes for appeasing the Lord. People lit a fire on the streets opposite their houses in the early hours symbolising the burning of disputes, ill-feeling amongst themselves and starting a new era of happiness and togetherness. People keep the entire environment neat and clean by burning all unwanted things. Cow dung cakes are used to burn the fire. The smoke emanated cleans the environment from mosquitos, bacteria, and viruses. Mother Earth is prayed as she provides shelter and food to all living beings. The word ‘Bhogi’ comes from Sanskrit word ‘Bhuj’ to enjoy. So Bhogi is a feast of enjoyment on account of deliverance from the calamitous month of mrigasira, the month of December which is considered to be a most unhealthy month. It is the month in which all kinds of epidemics occur. On Bhogi day at dawn bonfires are lit in front of houses with logs of wood and unused furniture. The disposal of derelict things is a symbol of giving up old habits and vices effecting a change of transformation
The Second Day – Makara Sankranti Lord Sun symbolises happiness, joy, knowledge, spirituality, and wisdom. He is also the provider of good health. He shuns the darkness in our lives and makes us brighter. People offer special prayers to Sun God for his bountiful blessing in providing health and wealth. People take bath in sacred rivers and offer prayers to Lord Surya. People offer Pongal, a recipe made from first harvested rice to Lord Surya. This festival is observed as a day for the special worship of sun. It is observed by offering rice boiled with milk and jiggery specially made in earthenware pots with wooden fire. It is also a festival which gives all auspicious to the living beings by Goddess Lakshmi. She is worshipped in the names of Dhanyalakshmi or Sankranti Lakshmi to bless the farmers with good yielding.
The Third Day – Kanuma The farmers consider the cattle as the prosperity harbingers. They decorate them, feed copiously and pray with reverence. Service to the Cow is the main event taking place on this day. It is also believed that Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhan Hill to protect the people and cattle of Gokulam on this day. Let us pray Lord Balaji to bless us with joy and prosperity on this Makara Sankranti. The third day is Kanuma. On this day farmers worship the cow, the calf and the bull, symbol of agricultural wealth. Since the bull was used for tilling and the cow was used for milk the pair was symbolized as the sun and earth respectively. Importance is therefore given to the cows and bulls which are immense value to the farmer. On the day of Kanuma there are some outstanding features which cannot be overlooked. Bull fightings, Cock fightings, kite flying, Rangoli competitions etc.
Women Centric:
Sankranti is centered around women. The festival involves a lot of socializing. It is time for families to congregate friends, relatives, brothers especially daughters, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law and such others are invited and new clothes are presented to them besides gifts. She prays for the welfare of her brothers who in turn gifts her with auspicious articles. Throughout the festival days women work hard preparing many dishes without any selfishness to make her family happy. Certainly, it is a new world of people and emotions. For a woman who is incharge of the family needs to struggle to balance them. For a woman bound by tradition this is a welcome opportunity. On the day of sankranti she offers prayers for good progeny and well being of husband and other family members. In the earlier days, in joint families women derived immense pleasure by celebrating sankranti with great enthusiasm and more elaborate rituals than the present. On the whole for a woman the festival leads to contentment and offers bright hopes for the future. Certainly she is the heart and soul of sankranti.
Festivals foster a feeling of togetherness not only with in the family but in the whole country. Today, the festival of sankranti has undergone a sea of change. However festivals form a priceless legacy that was left behind and it is the responsibility of the present generation to preserve it for the posterity
Sankranti Significance:
The Sun and his movements form the core of the many astrological calculations. There is a secretive yet visible connection between the Sun in the sky and the living beings on the earth. This relationship has been subtly captured in Vedic hymns such as Saura Sukta. Vedas have praised Surya as the ‘soul of the universe’. He travels from Makara rashi to Karka rashi in 365 days. This movement causes the formation of seasons on earth. Thus, the Sun directly affects the living beings of the earth by providing them with many benefits such as water and food. Hence he has been hailed as the soul of the universe. As the sojourn of Sun begins by entering Makara rashi, ancient Indian scientists have called it as a ‘Parva kaala’, a very special occasion marking the change in the Sun’s direction, and advised us to follow certain rituals.
Sankranti Celebrations at Tirumala Temple:
Kaka Bali is a special ritual conducted on Kanuma day in Tirumala. In the wee hours of this day, as per the Vaikhanasa Agama, the archakas mix turmeric and vermillion separately in cooked rice and offer it to Ananda Nilaya Vimana Venkateswara. Lord Malayappa Swamy and Lord Sri Krishna will be taken in a procession to the Paruveta Mandapam in Seshachalam forests. A mock hunt called Paruveta Utsavam is enacted by the temple priests. Lord wears with five celestial weapons in the form of Panchayudha Murthi (Lord with five weapons). The Jeeyars ceremoniously carry the Andal Goda Devi garlands all the way to the Tirumala temple where they offered to the Lord. These garlands are considered as the presentation of Godadevi as a part of Goda Parnayotsavam to the main deity.
The scared temple of Sri Venkateswara Swami at Tirumala has been a platform for many festivals, rituals and events. Some of them are Agamic, some are Pauranic and some of the festivities are in accordance with the Vedic calculations of the Time. Sankranti is one such ‘parva kaala’ which, according to the ancient texts, is the most pious time dedicated to celebrate the life, enjoy the fruits and also commemorate the departed souls. Sri Venkateswara being the ‘karta’ and ‘bharta’ of the universe, His abode also reflects the mood and true meaning of Sankranti.
Tirumala temple celebrates Sankranti on a grand scale and with pomp and glory befitting the stature of Sri Venkateswara Swami as the King of all the kings in three worlds. The utsavam begins by bringing Malayappa Swami, flanked by His two consorts on either side, in Sarva Bhupala Vahanam. We know that during annual Srivari Brahmotsavams, Lord Malayappa rides on this vehicle on the 4th day in the night. This vehicle symbolizes the supremacy of Vishnu as the Lord of the universe including the king of the time i.e. Sun. Hence, Srivaru will be brought in Sarva Bhupala Vahanam along with Ammavarlu. Srivaru will be seated in the sannidhi where special rituals will be conducted by the priests.
As part of Sankranti celebrations, a recite (Parayanamdaru) will deliver a discourse on the significance of the festival before Srivaru. Later sweet Pongali will be offered as the special savour of the day to the deities. This pongal will be distributed to the people gathered there as Srivari Prasadam. A grand Mangala Harati would mark the end of the celebrations of Sankranti festival. On this festive occasion of Makara Sankranti, may Sri Venkateswara Swami shower His choicest blessings on all the readers.
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