Makar Sankranti is the celebration of the Sun towards the northern hemispere or Capricorn (Makar). The Sun god is paid respect during this festival.
In major parts of Maharashtra, people share Til laddu nown as Til Gul as a tradition.
They say " Til Gul ghya god god bola" while offering the sweet which means 'eat sweet, talk sweet'.
Have you ever wondered why? Here is the answer. Tap!
According to some legends sesame seeds were blessed with immortality by Lord Yama , while some suggest that they were sowed with Lord Vishnu's sweat making it sacred.
Hence, Laddoo made out of these seeds is offered to God and then shared with each other, as it is believed to erase sins from people's lives when they consume it.
The tradition of saying 'Til Gul ghya god god bola' is to forget all the misunderstandings or bad feelings and remain friends.
Winters is at its peak and your body needs warm food. Hence according to science consuming a sweet prepared using jaggery and sesame seeds offers your body the needed warmth.
People in western Maharashtra also follow the tradition where women invite each other at their places for 'Haldi-Kumkum'.