Makar Sankranti 2025
Tuesday, 14 January 2025
The Sun enters Capricorn (Makara), marking the start of the northward journey, Uttarayana.
Panchang for Makar Sankranti 2025
Tithi, nakshatra, Rahu Kaal and auspicious windows shift with your city's sunrise. See the computed Panchang for your location.
Open the Panchang →Significance
Makar Sankranti is one of the few Hindu festivals fixed to the solar calendar rather than the lunar one, which is why its date barely moves. It marks Surya entering Makara rashi and the beginning of Uttarayana, the six-month northward arc traditionally considered auspicious for new undertakings. Harvest celebrations across India — Pongal, Lohri, Magh Bihu — cluster around the same transition.
Rituals
- Bathe at sunrise, traditionally in a river where possible
- Offer arghya (water) to the Sun
- Prepare and share til-gud (sesame and jaggery)
- Give daan — food, blankets, or sesame to those in need
- Fly kites, in Gujarat and Rajasthan especially