Makar Sankranti for kids

The Hindu festival Makar Sankranti falls on the 14th of January. As it is one of the most significant festivals for Hindus the world over, there are many different ways of celebrating it. What customs and traditions will your family be following?

by Steven McKinnon, Mindful Mum, 14th January 2012

What is Makar Sankranti?

One of the most celebrated and significant festivals in the Hindu calendar, Makar Sankranti celebrates the sun’s journey from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn, which marks the beginning of the harvest season.

The festival occurs roughly 21 days after the winter solstice, a time that Hindus consider to be particularly auspicious.

Makar Sankranti is also one of the few major Hindu festivals that follow the Solar calendar as opposed to the Lunar one, meaning it falls on January 14th – or a day at either side – each year.

How is Makar Sankranti celebrated?

Makar Sankranti celebrations vary wildly from region to region. Here are just a few examples of how Makar Sankranti is commemorated:

In Andhra Pradesh, the festival is celebrated over four days. On the first day, people light bonfires and dispose of useless or derelict items, an act which symbolises purification of the soul. Infants are often given jujube fruit, and brothers hand gifts to their married sisters. On the second day, people celebrate by wearing new clothes and praying to God, while the third day sees families reunite and gurus bestowing blessings on their followers. Animals are also remembered on this day, and it is common for the girls of the family to feed them. The last day, known as Mukkanuma, is celebrated by meals consisting of meat, which are prohibited during the other days of the festival.
In Bihar, where Makar Sankranti is celebrated on the 14th and 15th of January, people bathe in ponds and rivers, and eat seasonal food. Kite festivals are also fairly common.
In Gujarat, Makar Sankranti is a two-day festival. During the first day, families eat ‘undhiyu’, a traditional casserole made from seasonal vegetables. On the second day, it is very common for crowds of people to fly kites, known as ‘patang’.
In Rajasthan, the festival is known as ‘Makar Sakrat’. Kite festivals take place here as well, and people eat ‘Ghevar’, a traditional disc-shaped sweet.
In West Bengal, the festival is known as ‘Poush Parbon’. A large fair takes place and people eat traditional sweets called ‘doodh puli pithe’, which are made from milk, rice flour, coconut and jaggery (unrefined whole cane sugar).

Doodh puli pithe recipe

Perhaps you can help your child enjoy the celebrations more by letting them help you make this traditional sweet dish? As always, remember to take care when you and your little one are in the kitchen!

Ingredients

1 coconut
1 cup of sugar
2 cups of rice flour
2 tablespoons of plain flour
1 litre of milk
10 grams of raisins
10 grams of cashew nuts
1 teaspoon of cardamom powder

Method

Grate the coconut and mix it well with the sugar and cardamom powder, then set it aside.
Heat a pan and add the rice flour, stirring for 5 or 6 minutes, then place it in a bowl with the plain flour.
Add hot water to the flour mixture, and knead into a dough.
Cut the kneaded dough into medium-sized circles.
When your circles are ready, place the coconut and sugar mix into each centre, and seal the edges with your fingers to make semi-circle shapes.
Heat a pan and add milk.
When the milk has been boiling for a few minutes, slowly add your semi-circles and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the raisins and cashew nuts.
Wait for the dish to cool down, and serve!