Spiritual Significance Behind Makar Sankranti Rituals

With Makar Sankranti, arriving on the 15 January, an auspicious period of Uttarayana begins. It implies that the Sun has moved in a Northward journey to the sign of Makara with which a lucky phase has stepped in. It is just when the inauspicious phase has just ended to make way for the time where rituals like marriage can be performed. Uttarayan is considered as the day for the gods while Dakshinayana is their night. There is a spiritual significance behind all the rituals performed on the day of Makar Sankranti. These are inspired by Swami Sivananda's pravachans.

1. Transform Yourself In To A Sattvic Being

As Swami Sivananda, in one his published works, says people discard their worn-out belongings into the bonfire they set up on the Bhogi day. They extensively clean their houses and even get them whitewashed. This is indicative of our emotional and mental debris that we have accumulated for the past year. This we need to discard in the bonfire of knowledge. Give up vices and energise your mind with positive thoughts.

2. Dedicate Your Karmas To God Selflessly

The farmer toils the entire year and finally on the day of Sankranti, prepares sweet dishes out of them and offers them to God. This in itself reminiscent of karma yoga which shows that we should do our duties detachedly and keep continuing it till we last. However, dedicate the results of our hard work to God.

3. Share, Give And Take What You Possess

Give the respect and recognition where it is due. Be generous and kind to those who have helped us. That is gratitude. Landlord distributes grains, clothes and money to all the farmers. He does not hoard all that he has for himself but shares it. Give and take is also a beautiful concept of life and giving it all to others reflects on the principle of vasudaiva kutumbakam, which means treating the world as family. Probably the seeds of these great concepts and values originate from these acts.

4. Enliven Your Day By Spending Time With Loved Ones.

Family members get together to exchange gifts, mother to children, wife to in-laws, and so on. The happiness of Sankranti increases when it is shared between people. So being alone or being busy travelling due to work projects is not advised as you miss out on the happiness that is so invaluable compared to the assignment and increments that you get, Swami Sivananda implies thus.

5. Be Grateful And Kind To The Universe:

A whole day is allotted to the cattle, which hold so much of love and significance in the Indian households on this day. The next day is reserved for other animals, like fish, birds and smaller and domesticated animals. This is how we should give back to those who help us in times of our need. This is just humane ritual and does not pain you much.

6. Forgive, Forget And Celebrate the Moment!

Maharashtrians and Karnataka people exchange sweet sesame and jaggery ladoos on this day along with a proclamation that goes thus. 'eat til laddoos and speak only sweet' in marathi' . Sesame seeds are nutrient rich and good for cold season. Apart from this, it inculcates this habit of forgiving and forgetting, to let go of misgivings and start on a clean slate. No matter what we feel, how pressurized we are, we must be able to utter sweet words to others in order to avoid bitterness in life.

7. Get Under The Sunny Shade

Flying kites on Makar Sankranti is a widely practiced ritual, in India, more so, in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Kite flying festivals and competitions are held. Million kites in myriad hues, trailing off in the sky, as the earthly signature on the sky, in acceptance of the benefits that mother nature offered. Wonderful harvest, sunbathing under the Uttarayan Sun, gives us a bounty of food and health benefits. We are acknowledging here the benevolence of God in acceptance of the fact that he is behind everything.

8. Share Haldi Kumkum In Festival

Observed widely in Maharashtra and Karnataka, this ceremony requires married women to call other married ladies' home to apply one each other's forehead, Haldi (turmeric) and Kumkum (Sindoor). This is a traditional ritual to extend husbands' longevity. Small gifts and snacks are exchanged as the next step.
This is a time to be themselves and reconnect to their childhood in a lark like carefree manner. This is the time we have on our hands to forget temporarily the ways of our corrupted adult lives and enjoy only the mirth part of life, discarding the pain and greed etc of our everyday lives

9. Get Back To Your Roots

Holy dip taken on this day actually washes our sins. Prayag's Kumbh mela that is observed once in 12 years is actually meant for this purpose. This is the day to get back to roots, revisit our glorious culture and renew our emotional connect with them.

10. Spread Positivity Through Rangoli

Rangoli designs with rice flour are famous amongst most Indian households. Family members take pride in their Rangoli creations that are representatives of prosperity and abundance. This is supposedly an invitation of Goddess Lakshmi to visit their homes. These colours have some positivity about them which have an enormous impact on the vibes and moods of people around it.

Disclaimer: The information is based on assumptions and information available on the internet and the accuracy or reliability is not guaranteed. Boldsky does not confirm any inputs or information related to the article and our only purpose is to deliver information. Kindly consult the concerned expert before practising or implementing any information and assumption