Festival of Surya Narayan's Uttarayan - Makar Sankranti

With the beginning of the Christian era, the first festival celebrated in our country is Makar Sankranti. There are two planets in the solar system whose direct impact is visible in our day-to-day lives. If we talk about other planets and constellations and even if a person does not believe in them, then there are at least two such planets which have a direct impact on everyone. We have to trust them in any situation. These are the Sun and the Moon who give impetus to our lives.These have a special impact on the weather and climate of our planet. Sankranti itself means change. When the Sun remains in the south, it is winter i.e. the time of coolness and the days are short. But when it moves towards north, it is called Uttarayan. From that time the days start getting longer. Because the sunrise starts moving slightly from the east towards the north-east angle and the sunset also starts moving slightly from the west towards the northwest angle. That is, the Sun's rays fall more on the Earth when the Sun is in Uttarayan than in the South, that is why the weather gradually starts becoming hot. 
Actually, in our country the festivals are decided according to the dates of the moon. But there is one festival on which the Sun starts moving towards the north, that is 14th January. This day is celebrated as a festival in some way or the other in almost all parts of our country. On this day, the Sun completes its journey in Jupiter's zodiac sign Sagittarius and enters Capricorn, the earth element sign of its son Saturn. On this day, people take bath and donate money in the rivers around them, especially in the river Ganga.Bathing is organized mainly in Tirtharaj Prayag and Gangasagar on the holy festival of Makar Sankranti. 
Fortunately, this year on the occasion of Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, lakhs of devotees are getting the benefit of earning virtue by bathing and donating at the Sangam. Khichdi fair starts from this day in the temple of Adiyogi Shri Guru Gorakshanath in Gorakhpur.
At the same time, there is a flood of faith in Maghar, the place of Nirvana of Saint Kabir Das. The idea behind calling it Khichdi is that since the weather changes, we eat food which is easily digestible. On this day people also donate sesame seeds. This season is winter, hence it is said that the one who does not have a sesame . It also reaches him because of donations. Because the nature of sesame seeds is hot. 
In South India it is known as Pongal and in Assam it is called Bihu. There is a tradition of celebrating this festival in different ways in different provinces.  The sky of Gujarat and Varanasi is filled with colorful kites on this day.  
According to mythological belief, on this day, King Bhagiratha had brought Ganga ji down from heaven and went to Kapil Muni's ashram and mixed it in the ocean. The holy water of Ganga ji had saved the sixty thousand cursed sons of King Sagar. 
In this faith, Gangasagar was established as a pilgrimage site. Where every year a big fair is organized on the day of Makar Sankranti and people take bath there.There is a belief in Maharashtra that from this day the speed of Surya Narayan increases by one Sesame.There is a tradition of celebrating this day as Lohri in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. In Sindhi society it is called Lal Lohi. Pongal, the new year of the Tamil calendar, starts from this day. 
The whole world gets energy from the Sun planet and when its presence on the earth lasts for a longer time, the energy will increase more. As a result, people's ability to work will increase. There will be less night time, and due to longer day time, there will be ample time for work. Along with this, change in weather also starts.

( Dr Ashok Pandey,Spiritual Healer, Vastu Consultant and Astrologer Pune - +91-7574885030, +91-9425006196)