Overview

• Makar Sankranti, a Hindu harvest festival celebrated across India, marks the sun's transit to Capricorn and the beginning of the harvest season.
• The festival, known by various names in different regions, is celebrated with rituals such as worshipping the Sun God, taking a holy dip in sacred water bodies, flying kites, and preparing sweets made of sesame and jaggery.
• In Gujarat and Rajasthan, the festival is also marked by kite flying and has been observed as the International Kite Festival since 1989.
• Farmers across India pray for good crops during this festival.
• This year, Makar Sankranti will be celebrated on January 15, a day after Lohri festivities.