Makar Sankranti

It falls on the 14th of January every year according to the Solar Calendar. This day has a very special significance because the day and night on Makar Sankrant are of exactly of equal hours. This day is celebrated as a festival right from the times of the Aryans and is looked upon as the most auspicious day by the Hindus. This festival is celebrated differently in different parts of the country yet the use of Til that is sesame is found everywhere.Til in sweets is good for health and secondly being soft their exchange means exchange of love and tender feelings

Different delicious preparations are made on this auspicious occasion. In Maharashtra, Til laddoos/Burfis and Til Polis are prepared by Til and Jaggery. In Tamil Nadu Pongal is prepared

In Bengal every year a Mela is held at Ganga Sagar where the river Ganga is believed to have dived into the nether region and vivified the ashes of the sixty thousand ancestors of King Bhagirath. This mela is attended by a large number of pilgrims from East India.
In Bengal some special sweets like Ranga aaloor Pithe, Pathi shapta, Payesh, Pooli Pithe , Koraishuti's Kachuri etc. are prepared. The festival is celebrated for seven days in Bengal.

In Uttar Pradesh, Sankrant is called "KICHERI". Having a bath on this day is regarded as most important. A mass of humanity can be seen bathing in the Sangam at Prayagraj where the rivers Ganga, Jamuna and Saraswathi flow together. At the confluence of these holy rivers every year Kumbh Mela is held for full one month. In Punjab the festival is celebrated as "Lohri". Sweets, sugarcane and rice are thrown in the bonfires, around which friends and relatives gather together. The following day, which is Sankrant is celebrated as MAGHI. The Punjabi's dance their famous Bhangra dance till they get exhausted.