Makar Sankranti 2026 — Date, Significance & Regional Celebrations

Makar Sankranti (मकर संक्रांति) is the harvest festival celebrated when the Sun transitions from Sagittarius (Dhanu) to Capricorn (Makara). It is one of the few Hindu festivals based on the Solar calendar rather than Lunar, falling on January 14 or 15 each year.

Regional names: Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Uttarayan (Gujarat), Lohri (Punjab — celebrated the day before), Bihu (Assam), Sankranti (Andhra Pradesh & Karnataka).

Significance: It marks the end of the winter solstice and the beginning of longer days (Uttarayan — northward movement of the Sun). It is considered highly auspicious for charity, holy bathing, and starting new ventures.

Traditional practices: Kite flying (Gujarat), Til-Gul (sesame-jaggery sweets in Maharashtra), holy dip in rivers, donation of food and clothing.