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Makar Sankranti celebrated

     Tripura/Allahabad/Chennai: Makar Sankranti, the harvest festival, is celebrated under varying names in different parts of India. In Tamil Nadu it is called Pongal and in the north-eastern parts it is celebrated as the "Poush" festival. Surrounded with enormous hills, Tirthamukh in Tripura is famous for its scenic beauty. Since ancient times, on the auspicious day of "Poush" or "Makar Sankrati", the harvest festival, a Tirthamukh fair is organised and pilgrims flock here to take a dip in the holy water of river Gomati. This year was more significant as it was after a gap of 57 years Makar Sankranti and "Poush Poornima" (full moon night in the month of Poush) fell on the same day.

    According to the solar calendar, in mid-January the Sun enters Makar Rashi (or, the House of Capricorn, the tenth sign of the zodiac). On Saturday, thousands of pilgrims congregated at Tirthamukh to celebrate "Poush" or Makar Sankranti". They celebrated the harvesting of crops and enjoyed the traditional folk songs and dances. The occasion is also observed as a time to pay respect for bringing peace to one's forefathers' divine souls. Many devotees including tribals and non-tribals from Tripura and neighbouring States worshipped for the departed souls. It is believed that a holy dip during "Makar Sankranti" purges all sins. "We have been doing this Puja for many generations. You will not find any difference between tribals and non-tribals and both are celebrating here," said Bharatha Reang, a devotee.

    Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh, millions of Hindus in several cities across India took a dip in the holy river Ganges on the occasion of Makar Sakranti. The festival, which coincides with the winter harvest, is celebrated widely across the country and known by different names all over the country. In Tamil Nadu the day is celebrated as "Pongal" whereas, in north eastern parts of India, it is commemorated as "Bihu". In Uttar Pradesh, devotees braving cold temperatures thronged holy cities of Allahabad and Varanasi and took a dip in the holy Ganges river at the dawn. "After 57 years such a day has come when Makar Sankranti and full moon day have fallen on one day. And we have come to offer prayers and take a holy dip in the Ganges," said Ram Acharya, devotee who had come to take a dip at the Sangam, a confluence of three holy rivers Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati. Hindu scriptures say the festival dates back to the origin of the earth when the Gods and Demons, after stirring the oceans, squabbled over who should get the holy "Amrit" (or, nectar). Lord Vishnu transformed himself into a woman to distract the demons, who wanted the nectar for themselves. The holy liquid was offered to the Gods. But the demons chased the Gods, who spilled drops of the nectar at four places-- Allahabad, Nasik, Haridwar and Ujjain. Since then, bathing at these four places in northern and western India has been considered a sacred rite. People in Tamil Nadu celebrated Pongal as women cooked rice in the courtyards of their homes and offered it to the Sun God as a gesture of thanking Him for a good harvest. "The festival is celeberated to thank Sun God without whom nothing can exist in this world. It is essentially a farmers' festival which marks the beginning of harvesting season. The festival symbolises joy, togetherness, thanksgiving celeberations and rich Tamil culture," said Dr. Sankarapndiyan, noted Tamil scholar. Originally celebrated almost exclusively by the Tamil farming community, Thai Pongal has now become an important festival even among non-farming Hindu communities in towns and urban areas, who would like to let some 'sunshine' into their lives. They like to make a fresh start in the New Year. Thai Pongal is the first festival in the Hindu calendar year. Farmers take their cattle to the rivers for a wash and then worship them. They also clean and worship their farm tools in the hope that the coming harvest season will provide better yields.
-Jan 15, 2006