Makar Sankranti is a festival dedicated to the Sun god. It marks the transition of Sun into the zodiac sign Capricorn (Makar rashi) and this transition is called Sankranti.
The day holds special importance for spiritual practices and accordingly, people take a holy dip in rivers, especially Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri.
The festival is celebrated with great pomp and show across India, everyone including kids to older people celebrate the festival by flying kites and feasting on Til-gud ladoos.
Why is Makar Sankranti celebrated on January 14 every year?: The sun usually enters Uttarayan from Dakshinayan and the Kharmas also ends from the 14th to 15th day of January. The festival usually falls on the 14th of January. After this, most events that are paused for the last month are resumed after Makar Sankranti.
Tithi and Muhurat:
Makar Sankranti 2020- 15 January
Sankranti period- 07:19 pm 15 January
Punyakal- 07: 19 to 12:31 pm
Mahapunya period- 07:19 to 09: 03 pm
Sankranti bath- Early morning time
Time difference: The festival is usually celebrated on the 14th of January but due to the difference in time of the changing zodiac sign of the sun, the festival is celebrated on January 15th of January as well. According to Jansatta, this year the sun’s transition into Capricorn will happen on January 15, and hence the Hindu calendar has marked 15th of January as day to celebrate Makar Sankranti.
