Makar Sankranti is the festival of til-gul and kites. It marks the Sun's move into Makar, the start of uttarayan, and is kept over three days: Bhogi, Sankrant and Kinkrant.
Next: Thursday, 14 January 2027.
"Tilgul ghya, goad goad bola"
Friends and neighbours exchange sesame and jaggery sweets, tilgul ladoo and halwa, saying "take tilgul and speak sweetly". It is a day to put quarrels aside.
Bhogi
On the day before Sankrant, bhogichi bhaji of seasonal vegetables and bajra bhakri with sesame are cooked.
Haldi-kunku
Married women hold haldi-kunku gatherings, exchanging vaan (small gifts) and sugad pots, from Sankrant until Ratha Saptami. New brides wear black saris with halwyache dagine (sugar jewellery), and babies have their first bor-nhan.
Kinkrant
The day after is Kinkrant, remembering the Goddess's victory over the demon Kinkarasura. It is generally not used for new beginnings.
How the date is fixed
A solar festival: the day on which the Sun enters sidereal Makar rashi, counted from sunrise to sunrise in Mumbai.
Dates are calculated for Mumbai. A printed panchang from another city or tradition can differ by a day. For rituals, follow your family priest.
Questionsप्रश्नोत्तरे
When is Makar Sankranti 2027?
Makar Sankranti 2027 is on Thursday, 14 January 2027 (Paush Shuddha 6), calculated for Mumbai.
Why is Makar Sankranti usually on 14 January?
Because it follows the Sun, not the Moon. The sidereal ingress into Makar currently happens on 14 or 15 January.