Festivals
Makar Sankranti
The Sun's sidereal entry into Capricorn — one of the only Hindu festivals fixed by the solar, not lunar, calendar.
- Basis
- Solar (Sun enters sidereal Makara/Capricorn)
- Typical date
- January 14–15
- Also called
- Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Uttarayan (Gujarat), Bihu (Assam)
Makar Sankranti marks the moment the Sun crosses into the sidereal sign of Capricorn (Makara) and begins its six-month northward journey, Uttarayana — traditionally considered an auspicious half of the year for starting new ventures.
Because it tracks the Sun's sidereal position rather than a lunar tithi, Makar Sankranti falls on nearly the same Gregorian date every year (January 14, occasionally the 15th), unlike most Hindu festivals which shift with the lunar calendar.
Regional forms of the same solar event include Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Uttarayan in Gujarat with its kite-flying tradition, and Magh Bihu in Assam — all marking the same astronomical Sankranti.
FAQ
Why does Makar Sankranti fall on a fixed date while Diwali doesn't?
Makar Sankranti tracks the Sun's sidereal ecliptic longitude (a solar event), which drifts only slightly year to year. Diwali is fixed by a lunar tithi (Amavasya), and the lunar calendar drifts against the Gregorian solar calendar, so its date moves within a roughly month-wide window each year.