🪁 Makar Sankranti (Khichdi / Pongal / Lohri) Vrat Katha
The story
Surya Dev was estranged from his son Shani (a story linked to Shani's mother Chhaya). Capricorn is Shani's house — on Makar Sankranti the Sun visits his son Shani's home for a month, and it is a day of reunion of father and son; it is said Shani welcomed his father with sesame and jaggery, hence the custom of tilgul and the lesson 'eat sesame-jaggery, speak sweetly'.
In the Mahabharata, Bhishma Pitamah waited 58 days on the bed of arrows for Uttarayan — because one who leaves the body in Uttarayan is freed from rebirth; after Makar Sankranti (Magha Shukla Ashtami) he gave up his life. That is why this is also a day of moksha and tarpan for ancestors.
The descent of the Ganga — by Bhagiratha's penance the Ganga reached the ashram of sage Kapila on this day, liberated the sons of Sagara and merged into the sea; hence the great bath of Makar Sankranti at Gangasagar (Bengal) — 'every tirtha again and again, Gangasagar once'.
Why this katha — the significance
Uttarayan is regarded as the day of the gods — Bhishma Pitamah waited for Uttarayan on his bed of arrows and left his body after Makar Sankranti. The bath and charity of this day (especially sesame, jaggery, khichdi, blankets) give imperishable merit.
Punya-kaal: from the moment of the Sankranti until sunset that day (or 16 ghatis); if the Sankranti happens after sunset, the next day is the festival day. This is why it is sometimes 14 and sometimes 15 January — the date above is from the engine. The maha-punya-kaal is about 2 ghatis (48 minutes) right after the Sankranti.
Women's customs: sharing tilgul ('Tilgul ghya, god bola'), haldi-kumkum, giving vaan/bayana to married women, the 'bornahan' of a new bride or child; in Bihar-Purvanchal dahi-chura-tilkut, the eldest woman of the house giving sesame to all with her blessing.
How the katha is heard
- Hear or read the katha after the puja, before the aarti — the whole family sits together.
- The one keeping the vrat should listen with a calm mind; keep a lamp lit and a little akshat-flowers in hand.
- At the end, offer the flowers at the deity's feet and bow; share the prasad with everyone.
📿 Makar Sankranti (Khichdi / Pongal / Lohri) puja vidhi (step by step) →
Frequently asked questions
When is Makar Sankranti in {Y} — 14 or 15 January?
The date at the top comes from the engine's solar calculation — the day the Sun enters Capricorn (the next day if the Sankranti falls after sunset). Nowadays usually 14 January, in some years 15; it moves a day later roughly every 72 years.
What is the punya-kaal, when to give charity?
From the moment of the Sankranti until sunset that day (16 ghatis in the shastras); the 48 minutes right after the Sankranti are the 'maha-punya-kaal'. Bath and charity within it — best from sunrise to noon.
Why sesame and jaggery?
Sesame and jaggery give warmth and strength in the cold (Ayurveda); in the katha Shani welcomed his father Surya with them; sesame charity is linked to the ancestors and moksha — so eat, share and donate.
Are Lohri, Pongal, Bihu and Makar Sankranti the same?
All celebrate the Sun's entry into Capricorn and the new harvest — Lohri the night before (Punjab), four-day Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Magh Bihu (Assam), Uttarayan (Gujarat), Khichdi (UP-Bihar) — different names and dishes, one Sun.
What is Kharmas and why does it end with the Sankranti?
The month the Sun stays in Sagittarius (mid-December to Makar Sankranti) is Kharmas/Malmas — weddings and griha pravesh are avoided; with the entry into Capricorn, Uttarayan and auspicious works resume. Wedding dates are on the muhurat page.
🏠 Makar Sankranti (Khichdi / Pongal / Lohri) 2026 — date, muhurat, full page · All vrat & festivals