Makar Sankranti 2026: India Celebrates Harvest Festival Across Regions on January 14

As the sun transitions into Capricorn at precisely 3:13 PM on January 14, 2026, millions across India are celebrating Makar Sankranti, one of the few Hindu festivals determined by solar movements rather than lunar cycles. The auspicious Maha Punya Kaal period extends from 3:13 PM to 4:58 PM, during which devotees perform holy rituals and charitable acts.

This year's celebration carries special significance as it coincides with Ekadashi, creating a unique situation where religious observances span both January 14 and 15. According to Drik Panchang calculations, while the main rituals of holy bathing and charity should be performed on January 14, some devotees observing Ekadashi fasting may conduct food-related ceremonies on January 15.

In Gujarat, the skies transformed into a vibrant canvas as the International Kite Festival reached its crescendo today. Union Home Minister Amit Shah participated in the public kite-flying festivities at Arjun Green Flats in Narampura, Ahmedabad, while Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated the official Kite Festival 2026 at Gandhinagar's Central Vista. The week-long celebrations, which began January 10 across Rajkot, Surat, and Dholavira, showcase Gujarat's unique Uttarayan tradition where an estimated 8-10 million people take to their terraces with colorful kites.

Tamil Nadu observes the festival as Thai Pongal, the centerpiece of a four-day harvest celebration. Following Bhogi Pongal on January 13, today marks the main Thai Pongal when families prepare the traditional sweet dish using freshly harvested rice, milk, and jaggery as offerings to the Sun God. The state government has declared extended holidays through January 18, allowing families to complete the full cycle including Mattu Pongal on January 15 and Kaanum Pongal on January 16.

In Assam, preparations are underway for Magh Bihu, also known as Bhogali Bihu, which officially begins tomorrow, January 15. Last night's Uruka celebrations saw communities constructing makeshift bamboo huts called 'meji' where neighbors gathered for elaborate feasts featuring traditional dishes like sunga pitha and til pitha. These structures will be ceremonially burned this morning in large bonfires, with the ashes later spread across farmlands to symbolize prayers for fertile soil.

Across northern India, devotees thronged to the banks of the Ganga and other sacred rivers for holy dips during the auspicious Brahma Muhurat between 5:05 AM and 5:55 AM. The traditional exchange of til-gud (sesame and jaggery sweets) accompanies the popular greeting that translates to 'accept this sweet and speak sweetly,' emphasizing the festival's message of harmony and sweetness in relationships.

Maharashtra observes a dry day today in honor of the festival, with liquor shops remaining closed across the state. Markets throughout India are bustling with shoppers purchasing traditional sweets, kites, and ritual items, as the harvest festival marks not just agricultural abundance but also the gradual lengthening of days and the promise of spring.

The festival's pan-Indian appeal lies in its agricultural roots and astronomical precision, celebrating the sun's northward journey that ancient Indian astronomers meticulously tracked. Whether through kites touching the sky in Gujarat, sacred bonfires in Assam, or the boiling over of Pongal pots in Tamil Nadu, the diversity of celebrations reflects India's cultural richness while honoring a shared gratitude for nature's bounty.