Makar Sankranti Festival Of Harvest
Makar Sankranti Festival of Harvest:
Makar Sankranti is a festival celebrated by Hindus all over the world. The Festival is also called Harvest Festival. It comes on the Maga month every year. The day is also believed to mark the arrival of spring in India. It is celebrated on the exact day 14th of January, every year. Sometimes celebrate on the 15th due to Thidi adjustments.
Different names celebrate some Regional variations of Sankranthi. Most states call the Festival Makara Sankranthi. Pongal in Tamilnadu, Uttarayana in Gujrath, Maghi in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, and Bhogali Bihu in Assam.
Celebrations in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana:
In Andhra Pradesh and the Telangana States, the Festival celebrates for four days.
The first day is – Bhogi
The Second day is – Makara Sankranti
The third day is – Kanuma
The fourth day is – Mukkanuma
On the first day, people celebrate Bhogi. Bhogi means people light a ‘Bonfire’ with wood logs and no longer valuable materials. this indicates that Old Habits, Old Attachments to relationships, and material things are Sacrifice in the Fire of Knowledge of Rudra. Here Rudra is Bonfire’. This activity indicates that people became pure in thoughts and actions and started a fresh lease on life. The fire purifies anything like the Bonfire purifies People.
On Festival Day:
On Makara Sankranthi day, people wake up very early; the girls draw the beautiful Muggulu in front of their houses and decorate them with beautiful flowers. Girls made the cow dung as Gobbemmalu and kept it in the middle of the Muggulu. The women decorate their homes with various colours., After that, they all do a head bath, wear new clothes, pray to God and offer traditional food to their dead ancestors. All the family members worship Cow. The farmers decorate their cattle to honour them. These activities indicate prosperity in the lives of people.
On Kanuma day, relatives, friends, and neighbours are all followed by fun activities. They conduct Ox racing, Kite flying, Goat fighting and Cock fighting. They enjoy the day with great joy.
On the fourth day, Mukkanuma, the people worship the Natural Elements. In some areas, people eat non-veg food, but on the fourth day, some places do not touch Non-veg food.
Finally, the Hindus feel this Festival brings colourful prosperity into their lives. On this festival occasion, houses are decorated with various colours; draw the colourful Muggulu before the places, ‘Cattle’ decoration with colourful Clad. Haridasas roam the streets, singing devotional songs. Everything seems very rich to the eyes of the Spectators. So ‘Hindus celebrate Makara Sankranthi on a grand scale.