मकर संक्रान्ति
Makar Sankranti 2027: date, meaning, stories and traditions
The day the sun enters Makara (Capricorn) and turns towards its northward journey. In 2027 the transit is on 14 January, and most rituals are held on the morning of 15 January.
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Why it matters
Saṅkrānti means the sun’s passage into a new sign of the zodiac — there are twelve in a year. Makar Sankranti is the one people celebrate, because it marks the beginning of Uttarāyaṇa, the sun’s northern course, traditionally seen as the auspicious, bright half of the year. It is also a harvest festival: thanks to the sun, the land and the people and animals who work it.
Unlike most Hindu festivals, it follows the sun rather than the moon, so its date barely moves — usually 14 or 15 January.
अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम् ।
तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जनाः ॥
Fire, light, day, the bright fortnight, the six months of the sun’s northern course — those who know Brahman and depart then go to Brahman.
Bhishma’s wait
In the Mahabharata, Bhishma falls on the tenth day of the war, his body pierced by so many arrows that he lies on a bed of them. Blessed with the power to choose the time of his death, he waits — for weeks — until the sun turns north. In those days he teaches Yudhishthira about dharma, kingship and life itself, in some of the epic’s longest teachings.
One festival, many names
| Region | Name | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Punjab, Haryana | Lohri (the eve) | Bonfires, rewri and gajak, songs and dancing |
| Gujarat | Uttarayan | Rooftops full of kites from dawn to dusk |
| Maharashtra | Makar Sankranti | Til-gul shared with “tilgul ghya, god god bola” — take sweets, speak sweetly |
| Tamil Nadu | Thai Pongal | New rice boiled with milk and jaggery until it overflows |
| Andhra Pradesh, Telangana | Sankranti | Bhogi bonfires, rangoli (muggulu), and Kanuma for the cattle |
| Karnataka | Sankranti | Ellu-bella — sesame, jaggery and coconut — shared with neighbours |
| Assam | Magh Bihu | Community feasts and the meji bonfire |
| Uttar Pradesh, Bihar | Khichdi | A holy dip, khichdi, and dahi-chura |
| West Bengal | Poush Sankranti | Pithe sweets and the Gangasagar pilgrimage |
What it asks of us
How to mark the day
- Begin with the sun.Offer water to the rising sun and chant the Gayatri Mantra or simply oṁ sūryāya namaḥ.
- Give something warm.Blankets, food or clothes for someone who will feel the January cold.
- Make peace.Share til-gud with someone you’ve drifted from or argued with.
- Fly kites safely.Avoid glass-coated or nylon “Chinese” manja — it injures birds, riders and children, and is banned in many places.
Questions people ask
When is Makar Sankranti in 2027?
The sun enters Makara on 14 January 2027, and most rituals and the holy dip are on the morning of 15 January. Pongal is on 15 January and Lohri on 13 January.
Why is Makar Sankranti always on 14 or 15 January?
Because it follows the sun’s movement into Makara (Capricorn) rather than the phases of the moon, so its date barely changes from year to year.
Why do we fly kites on Makar Sankranti?
Kite flying is the signature tradition of Uttarayan, especially in Gujarat — a joyful way of welcoming the sun and spending the day outdoors together.