☀️ Monthly Sankranti (Sun's Zodiac Entry) Vrat Katha
The story
With the Sun's Makar entry begins Uttarayana and with the Karka entry Dakshinayana — the Puranic day and night of the gods; Bhishma waited on his bed of arrows for Uttarayana.
Kanya Sankranti is Vishwakarma Jayanti (chiefly Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Jharkhand) — worship of the divine architect; workshops and shops rest their tools and machines this day.
On Tula Sankranti the Kaveri Tula-snan is famed in the South; in Odisha it is Garbhana Sankranti — a farming festival for the paddy in ear.
Why this katha — the significance
The Sun signifies the soul, health, the father's line and state-favour — the day of its sign-entry is the firmest unit of the solar calendar; the solar months of South India, Bengal, Assam and Kerala begin on this very day.
In the Puranic tradition, charity given on Sankranti — sesame, grain, clothes, jaggery, ghee — is called akshaya (undiminishing), especially within the punya-kaal around the moment of entry.
Astrologically the Sun's sign-change is a major transit milestone — whichever house the Sun enters in your chart stays activated for the month (details on the transit page).
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.
📿 Monthly Sankranti (Sun's Zodiac Entry) puja vidhi (step by step) →
Frequently asked questions
When is this month's Sankranti? {Y}
The date card above shows the exact day — computed from the Sun's actual sign-entry (Swiss Ephemeris).
What exactly is the punya-kaal?
The window around the Sun's entry moment — traditionally about 16 ghatis (roughly 6.5 hours) on either side; bathing and charity in it carry the highest fruit.
Is a fast compulsory on every Sankranti?
No — Sankranti is chiefly a day of bathing and charity. Those who observe a vrat take one sattvik meal or fruit.
Where are Makar and Mesha Sankranti covered?
On their own detailed pages — Makar Sankranti (Khichdi/Pongal/Lohri) and Mesha Sankranti (Baisakhi/Vishu/Bihu) — linked below under Also Read.
How is Vishwakarma Puja done on Kanya Sankranti?
Clean the tools, machines, vehicles and computers; worship them with flowers, roli-akshat and incense; give them rest that day; distribute sweets — the simple home-and-shop method.
🏠 Monthly Sankranti (Sun's Zodiac Entry) 2026 — date, muhurat, full page · All vrat & festivals