The harvest festival of Makar Sankranti is here, and we know what that means in North India. The cool winter chills call for a bonfire in every home with some popcorn, peanuts, and gajak making the rounds. We are surely grateful to Surya devta for some sun in this cold weather, marking the end of the winter in the Hindu calendar. What about the other states? Did you know that every state in India has its own traditions and festivals to celebrate the new harvest season? Let’s see how different states are celebrating this auspicious day.
1. Sankranti, Odisha
Holy dip in ponds, tanks, and rivers kicks off the day for people in Odisha on Sankranti. Kites colour the skies of Bhubaneshwar and Pongal is celebrated by the Telugus of Odisha. Adivasis make up 40% of the population in Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh and Keonjhar districts who sing and dance and celebrate for a week. Laddoos and other desserts made of rice crispies bring sweetness to Makar Sankranti here.
2. Lohri, Punjab
Celebrated on the eve of Makar Sankranti across North India, Lohri is a major festival in this part of the country. Not just Punjab, but Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu also light up in the brilliance of blazing bonfires. Communities come together and occupy public space to perform puja, eat, and welcome the season change. Gajak, revdi, and peanuts are thrown into the fire as offerings before being relished by people.
Also Read: Lohri 2025: History, Significance, Rituals And All You Need To Know About This Festival
3. Pedda Panduga, Andhra Pradesh & Telangana
In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Makar Sankranti is a three-day affair and marks the beginning of longer days. Homes are decked up with rangolis, special dishes like Pongal, Ariselu, and Pulihora are prepared, and people worship their cattle for aiding them with produce all year long. Also, a special ritual of Bhogi is observed which means getting rid of old items and starting fresh.
4. Sakraat, Uttar Pradesh
Kite-flying, taking a dip in Holy Ganga and enjoying til and gud laddoo are people’s choices on this day. Magha Mela in Prayagraj is set up at Triveni Sangam, the meeting point of three holy rivers, Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati. A dip here reinstates the people’s belief followed by a massive celebration of community with entertainment, education and mass feedings. This year’s Sakraat is extra special for the folks of Uttar Pradesh because of Maha Kumbh as well.
5. Uttarayan, Gujarat
The colours of Gujarat come alive with unique spectacles all over the state. A two-day celebration begins with kites and coloured manjhi. The second day or Vasi Uttarayan is when the food is in full bloom. The most iconic is undhiyu, a winter treat of seasonal vegetables and chikki is the main attraction. This chikki is made of sesame seeds, peanuts and jaggery. Ahmedabad also hosts an International Kite Festival, that welcomes people from across the globe.
6. Makara Sankrant, Maharashtra
Goddess Sankranti’s triumph over demon Sankarasur is celebrated by women dressed in black. Women get together in black clothes and celebrate with Haldi-Kumkum or turmeric-vermillion. Clothes, utensils and gifts are exchanged by these women. The people go around exchanging gifts of tilgud, halwa and puran poli and saying, “Tilgul ghya, god god bola” (Take sweet, speak sweetly).
Also read: Mumbai Bans Sale Of Nylon Manjha Ahead Of The Upcoming Festivities
7. Magha Saaji, Himachal Pradesh
Magha Saaji is always on the first day of the month of Magha in the Bikrami calendar. The harvest is the main trophy here. Khichdi with Ghee & Chaas make a hot and cold combination of desi flavours. Baolis are sites for holy dips and showers in the springs is how the state up north likes to challenge the winter. People visit temples and offer charity to commemorate Makar Sankranti.
8. Pongal, Tamil Nadu
Rice, jaggery and mud pots are the stars of the show in Tamil Nadu. Sakkarai Pongal is a four-day harvest festival and family and friends come together for food and sunshine. South India comes alive with Tamil Nadu’s unique and unusual Rangoli designs. Homes are cleaned, mango leaves are hung on doors and poojas for cattle are performed.
9. Bhogali Bihu or Magh Bihu, Assam
Magh Bihu, also called Bhogali Bihu is a harvest festival celebrated in North-East India and marks the end of harvesting season in the month of Magh. The people thank Mother Nature for food and crops. Shunga pitha, til pitha, laru or laskara are some of the traditional foods for the festival. Campfires and traditional dance forms would amaze any spectator. Buffalo fighting and Tekeli Bhonga are the main focus of the festival.
10. Suggi Habba, Karnataka
Universal love and kindness are adorned for the harvest festival in Karnataka. This is an important day for farmers who honour the gods for their yield. Ellu-Bella is the day’s special dish made of jaggery, fried groundnut, dry coconut and white sesame mashed together. Haldi-Kumkum, bananas and sugarcane are shared among women. People take their cows on a celebratory march and also make them jump through fire.
Makar Sankranti is a wonderful Indian festivals with many adaptations across the country. These are all great ways of celebration. Each place has a special kind of food to steal the country’s hearts. The festival of harvest comes in all shapes and forms. People carry their traditions wherever they go and so we have parts of different festivities in just one area!
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva
Updated by Tashika Tyagi
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