Makar Sankranti/Pongal

Meaning
This is a Hindu festival celebrated on the day the sun enters the zodiac sign (rashi) of Capricorn (Makar) called as Makar sankrant. To compensate for the gap occurring due to the revolution of the sun, every eighty years the day of Makar sankrant is postponed by one day. The northward revolution (uttarayan) of the sun begins on this day. In the year 2004, Makar sankrant falls on January 15.

Significance
The period from the passage of the sun into the zodiac sign of Cancer (Karka) till the zodiac sign of Capricorn (Makar sankrant) is called the southward revolution (dakshinayan). A person who dies during this period of the southward revolution of the sun has a greater chance of going to the southward region (hell or Yamalok) than one who dies during the northward revolution.

Sankranti is considered to be a deity. According to Hindu mythology, the deity Sankranti slayed a demon called Sankarasur on the day of Makar sankrant. The Hindu religious almanac (panchang) provides detailed information on the form, age, clothing, direction of movement, etc., of the deity Sankranti in accordance to the changes occurring as per the time (kal). The day followed by Makar sankrant is called Kinkrant or Karidin. On this day, the female deity (devi) slayed the demon Kinkarasur.

Celebration
According to the science of Spirituality, during the period of the passage of the sun into Capricorn, since sesame seeds (or sesame oil) have greater ability to absorb sattva frequencies than any other seeds or their oil, they facilitate smooth spiritual practice during this period. According to Ayurveda, since Makar sankrant falls in winter, consumption of sesame seeds is beneficial, as the oil in the sesame seeds generates body heat, preventing the ill effects of the cold. Hence, maximum use of sesame seeds is made on Makar sankrant.

Thus, in celebration of Makar sankrant, one should bathe with water containing sesame (oil or seeds), eat and distribute sweets containing sesame seeds, such as tilgul (sesame seeds coated with sugar syrup or jaggery), offer sesame seeds to brahmans (Hindu priests), lighting lamps of sesame oil in a temple of Lord Shiva, and perform a rite for one's departed ancestors (pitrushraddha) by making an offering of sesame. The use of sesame in an offering to ancestors (shraddha) prevents negative energies like demons, etc., from posing obstacles in the rite.

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