You look at the sky one morning and what once was a blank blue canvas is now filled with colorful kites – this is the morning of Makar Sankranti in India. We all know the country has gained accomplishments in many modern areas, but the true essence lies in the country’s chaos and culture. What’s better is, that the people still hold great pride and love for the cultural affairs of the Uttaryan Kite festival.
How to celebrate the festival of harvest, joy and kites in a traditional way
India’s kite festival tours will take you on a vibrant journey through Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, where different cultures pay respect to the festival in their own ways, but are always connected through kites. Let’s dive into the colorful world of Makar Sankranti while you are booking cultural travel packages in India with Castle and Kings.
Makar Sankranti: The Festival of Kites
Although primarily` famous for the harvest festival worldwide, People celebrate Makar Sankranti with a lot of love for many reasons. People celebrate Makar Sankranti to mark the end of the winter solstice and the end of long and dark nights. ‘Makar’ signifies the astrological sign Capricorn and ‘Sankranti’ roughly means the rising of the sun. On January 14th or the 15th, if it’s a leap year, the sun moves into the Capricorn constellation and travels north. Hence the name ‘Uttaryan Kite Festival’.
The Symbolism Behind Kite Flying
People who celebrate Makar Sankranti do it through mass kite flying to symbolize the long days that are coming ahead. It reflects the energy of life through the brighter days, unlike the dark darkness of winter. According to Hindu Vedas, People pay tribute to the Sun, which represents wisdom and enlightenment, through India kite festival tours. The best part about this festival is that people celebrate it in different ways across various areas of the country. This brings us to the biggest way to show diversity in cultural travel packages in India – food!
Traditional Foods of Makar Sankranti
As always, India is one of the few places where you will find massive diversity in food. This is even better when different parts of the country come with their own specialty dish to celebrate the wonder of the Festival of Kites. Let’s explore the different dishes in different parts of the country:
Kichidi and Undhiyu are the two main dishes of Gujarat during Makar Sankranti. Kichidi is a soft mixture of rice and lentil dal, mixed with seasonal vegetables. It is served bhog or prasad also known as a religious offering for the people visiting. Undhiyu is another dish with a mixture of seasonal vegetables, eggplant, yams, and more along with spices that celebrate the harvest of the season.
Til ke ladoo is another popular dish served in Rajasthan during the festival of kites. These are made with sesame seeds and jaggery, they are so loved for their delicious taste and the nutrition they provide as well as for making the body warm during the cold. This is the best thing you will taste in your travel packages for Indian festivals. Along with this, dal bati churma and gajak are two more dishes that are very popular in Rajasthan.
In Maharashtra, the best dish that you can have during Makar Sankranti is Bhogchi Bhaji. This dish celebrates the wholesome flavor of the upcoming season. This delicacy of mixed vegetables is made with a special curry comprised of sesame seeds, coconut, red chili, peanuts, and more. It is usually served with bread or chikki and is absolutely not to be missed.
Celebrate Makar Sankranti in India with a southern India feast during Pongal – the southern way of celebrating the festival. Sweet Pongal is a star dish of the south. It is made with a unique combination of lentils, jaggery, cashews, raisins, ghee and cardamoms.
Celebrating Makar Sankranti
Makar Sankranti is a wonderful festival that is celebrated with colors, rituals, and delicious food. In Tamil Nadu, the festival – known as Pongal, is celebrated with a boating competition. In Assam, people celebrate the festival by making huts with bamboo and straws, which they burn the next day as a sign of new beginnings.
People consider kite flying a very significant part of Makar Sankranti. There are many plausible explanations throughout history. Some say that it is so that people go out to get some sunlight. The Vedas say that the sun is the source of wisdom and enlightenment and in the festivals of kites, people soar towards the sun in aspiration of gaining a part of the wisdom.
Celebrate Makar Sankranti: India’s Vibrant Kite and Harvest Festival
People celebrate Makar Sankranti across India, marking the transition of the sun into Capricorn and the end of winter’s darkness. Known as the Festival of Kites, it unites diverse regions with vibrant traditions, from kite-flying in Rajasthan and Gujarat to feasts like til ke ladoo and Pongal. Discover the cultural richness and festive spirit of India with Castle and King’s tailored travel packages.
Experience Makar Sankranti: A Must-Visit Festival for Every Traveler
Every festival in the country is celebrated with the most vigor and love. Makar Sankranti is one of the biggest festivals that is celebrated throughout India. Pongal is celebrated in the south with an opulent boat competition that celebrates the prosperity of water and harvest. Experience the wonders of the festival of kites with the comfort of luxury tours in India with Castle and Kings.
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[…] It is celebrated on the occasion of the new harvest that falls in January. It is also known as Makar Sankranti in places like Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Pongal in the […]