Makar Sankranti 2024: In Hindu religion, the fasts and festivals that occur every month have special significance. According to the Hindu calendar, the festival of Makar Sankranti in the month of Pausha is considered to have special significance. This year the festival of Makar Sankranti is being celebrated on 15 January 2024. Bathing in Ganga, charity, and worship have special significance on Makar Sankranti. According to religious beliefs, by taking a bath in Ganga and offering Arghya to Lord Sun on Makar Sankranti, a person gets relief from all kinds of troubles in life and gets happiness and good fortune in life. Makar Sankranti is celebrated with different names in many parts of the country. While in North India this festival is celebrated as the festival of Khichdi, in Gujarat and Maharashtra it is celebrated as Uttaranay. In South India, this festival is celebrated as Pongal. In Punjab it is celebrated as Lohri and in Assam it is celebrated as Magh Bihu. Let us know why the importance of the festival of Makar Sankranti is considered special.
Astrological significance of Makar Sankranti
The festival of Makar Sankranti is considered to have special significance in astrology. Every year Makar Sankranti is celebrated on 14th January. From this day the Sun becomes Uttaranay. According to Vedic astrology, on Makar Sankranti, the Sun stops its journey through Sagittarius and enters Capricorn. All Hindus calculate the dates of fasts and festivals according to the calendar based on the Moon but celebrate the festival of Makar Sankranti based on the calendar based on the Sun. There are a total of 12 Sankrantis in a year. Which four Sankranti, Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Makar Sankranti are considered very important. In the month of Paush, when the Sun leaves Sagittarius and enters Capricorn, it is known as Makar Sankranti. The movement of the Sun from the Tropic of Capricorn towards the northern Tropic of Cancer is called Uttarayan and the movement from the Tropic of Cancer towards the southern Tropic of Capricorn is called Dakshinayan.
Religious importance of Makar Sankranti
Along with the astrological importance of Makar Sankranti, its religious and cultural importance is also considered to be of great importance. According to mythological beliefs, Suryadev is the father of Shanidev. On the day of Makar Sankranti, Sun God goes to the house of his son Shani where he stays for a month. Shanidev is the lord of Capricorn and Aquarius. In this way, Makar Sankranti is seen as the union of father and son. According to another story, on the day of Makar Sankranti, Lord Vishnu killed the demons, cut off their heads, and buried them on Mandara mountain to free the inhabitants of the earth from the terror of the demons. Since then the festival of Makar Sankranti has been celebrated. Apart from this, Makar Sankranti is also celebrated as the arrival of the new season. The seasons start changing with Makar Sankranti. Autumn begins to bid farewell and spring begins to arrive.
Uttaranaya Devta day and Dakshinayana night
After the festival of Makar Sankranti, the days start getting longer and the nights start getting shorter. The Sun undergoes Uttarayan and Dakshinayan in a year. According to the scriptures, Uttarayan is considered the day of the gods and Dakshinayan is considered the night of the gods. When the Sun remains in Dakshinayan, during this time it is called the night of the gods and goddesses, and the 6 months of Uttarayan are called days. Dakshinayan is considered a symbol of negativity and darkness while Uttarayan is considered a symbol of positivity and light.
Saturn's defects are removed
By worshiping Lord Surya, donating, bathing in Ganga, and worshiping Shani Dev on Makar Sankranti, all kinds of troubles related to the Sun and Saturn are removed. Suryadev himself goes to his son Shani's house to meet him and Shanidev is the lord of Capricorn, the influence of Saturn gets weakened by the mere entry of the Sun in it.
Mythological beliefs of Makar Sankranti
- On the day of Makar Sankranti, Bhishma Pitamah sacrificed his life while waiting for the sun to rise after the end of the Mahabharata war.
- On Makar Sankranti, Goddess Yashoda observed a fast to attain Shri Krishna.
- On the day of Makar Sankranti, Ganga passed through Kapil Muni's ashram entered the ocean, and liberated the sons of Maharaj Sagar, the ancestor of Bhagiratha.
Remedies on Makar Sankranti
By taking some measures on Makar Sankranti, one gets relief from troubles and attains virtue. On the day of Makar Sankranti, one should take a bath before sunrise, by doing this one gets the reward of donating ten thousand cows. On this day, donating woolen clothes, blankets, and dishes made of sesame jaggery and khichdi, one gets the blessings of Sun and Shani Dev. Taking a bath on the banks of Sangam in Prayag on Makar Sankranti brings inexhaustible virtues. Donating sesame, ghee, jaggery, and khichdi on Makar Sankranti brings auspicious results.
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