To those of who are aware about this festival, wishing a very Happy Sankranti to all my readers.
To those who are reading about this for the first time, Sankranti is one of the major festivals of India. India is a land of diversity. So naturally, this festival is celebrated across the country in different forms and under different names, but the underlying enthusiasm remains the same. The day is all about kites, feasts, bonfires and music.
Makar Sankranti is a widely popular festival celebrated mainly in the western part of India. The day marks the advent of Sun shifting towards the northern hemisphere. Hence, this festival is also referred to as Uttarayan, uttar meaning ‘north’ in Sanskrit. This day also signifies two important aspects of life, birth and death. The birth of Bhagwad Gita, a sacred hindu text and, the death of Bhishma, a central character in the epic Mahabharata. The great Kumbh Mela which takes place every 12 years at the ghat of Ganges is organized on Makar Sankranti. People from all parts of the world visit Varanasi to participate in Surya(Sun God) puja here. There are a lot of scientific values associated to the significance of this day, but I was always too busy enjoying my kites and the feasts to be bothered about it!
It’s been three years since I saw the sky blooming with vibrant kites. Red, yellow, purple and a thousand more colors can be seen up against the blue canvas. Music boomboxes with the latest track is tuned to the highest notch sending spirits soaring high. There is competition, yet a sense of camaraderie among families. This festival serves as an ice-breaker that brings people together, no matter family or strangers. Late into the previous night, families start preparing kites and fixing kinnis. The mornings are welcomed by the sweet smell of delicacies like chikkis (peanut bars made of jaggery) and undhiyu. I used to take great delight in partaking Undhiyu-Puri (intentionally overlooking the calorie count for the day! ). It is a savory dish made up of winter exclusive vegetables simmered in coconut and coriander gravy. Consuming jaggery is considered auspicious on this day. Whether its til-gud (sweet sesame balls) in Maharashtra or chikki in Gujarat or dahi-churra (sweetened yoghurt) in Bihar, all of them have one common sweetener- jaggery.
But now, I am in a different country, 7000 miles away from home. As much as I reminisce the celebrations back home, I try creating memories here and exchange cultures. It is a fresh experience.
Good wishes to all!
Until next time…:)
JournalFromAbroad 