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Makar Sankranti — Sun's transit into Capricorn — the start of Uttarayana, the auspicious half of the year.
Hindu festival · 2025

Makar Sankranti 2025

Sun's transit into Capricorn — the start of Uttarayana, the auspicious half of the year.

Also known as: Uttarayan, Pongal, Lohri, Bihu
Date
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Was 621 days ago

About Makar Sankranti

Marks the sun's transit into Makara (Capricorn) — Uttarayana begins. Six-month northward journey of the sun considered auspicious. Harvest festival across India.

Significance

Makar Sankranti marks a rare fixed-date solar festival (unlike most Hindu festivals, which follow the lunar calendar) celebrating the sun's northward journey and the start of the harvest season.

History & story

Because it tracks the solar calendar rather than the lunar one, Makar Sankranti falls on the same Gregorian date most years, making it one of the few Hindu festivals that doesn't shift significantly year to year.

Muhurat (2025)

Punya kaal is the entire day; maha punya kaal is the first 6-8 hours.

Rituals & observances

  • ◆Til-gur (sesame-jaggery)
  • ◆Holy bathing
  • ◆Kite flying (Gujarat)
  • ◆Bonfires (Punjab — Lohri)
  • ◆Pongal feast (Tamil Nadu)

Regional variations

Gujarat: Uttarayan kite festival. Punjab: Lohri. Tamil Nadu: Pongal (3-day harvest). Assam: Bihu. Bengal: Poush Sankranti.

Makar Sankranti — every year

The date shifts each year on the Gregorian calendar because it follows the Hindu lunar-solar cycle.

YearDateDay
2025Jan 14, 2025Tuesday
2026Jan 14, 2026Wednesday
2027Jan 14, 2027Thursday

Frequently asked questions

Why is Makar Sankranti celebrated with kite flying?

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In Gujarat, the clear winter skies and the auspiciousness of sunlight after Uttarayana begins made kite-flying (Uttarayan) a popular way to mark the festival outdoors.

Why is til-gur (sesame-jaggery) eaten?

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Sesame and jaggery are considered warming foods for the winter season and symbolize sweetness in relationships — the ritual saying is "eat til-gur and speak sweet."

Is Makar Sankranti the same as Pongal?

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They fall on the same day and mark the same solar transition, but Pongal is the Tamil Nadu-specific four-day harvest observance with its own distinct rituals.