Kites And Culture: Makar Sankranti Revelry

Makar Sankranti is celebrated widely across the states of the country and also other countries bordering our nation India. It's an exquisite festival celebrated grandly in the southern states of India. Indigenous from the state of Tamil Nadu of India.

The festival of Makar Sankranti is part of a three-day festival:
Bhog, Sankranti, and finally Kanuma. This festival is celebrated to show the transition of the Sun to the zodiac sign of Capricorn and another reason is that we celebrate the harvest of our crops.

A Joyful Day
We gather around with our relatives during the lively and joyful day, spending purdy on the rooftops enjoying the view of our sky. Down we see beautiful rangolis lying around which mesmerises our mind where the beauty questions. Enjoying the sweet made with sesame seeds and jaggery. Feeding the cows that arrive near our homes is very pictureful and heartwarming.

Painting The Sky
Kites flying all around, trying to beat the other skies, thinking that we are soaring the skies from the ground. Kites like birds soaring in the wind with freedom symbolize us getting freedom and joy. It's more than just a recreational activity and flying kites means the significance of spirits. It is believed that to request God from periods of longer nights to longer days by awakening them from their deep sleep.

People prepare for the epic battle of kites by buying colourful melting pots of a variety of kites and powerful strings called manga which are coated with glue and pieces of glass to make them strong and sharp.

Spiritual Significance
According to Hindu mythology, the Sun God Surya is worshipped on this day. The act of flying kites is a way to pay homage to the sun god and seek blessings for a prosperous life. People make Rangolis to welcome goddess Laxmi to bring good fortune to their homes. People spend hours to get the perfect rangoli.

Pongal and Bulls
Do you know the kolams on a pot, this is where the tasty pongal is stored. The yummy dish of Pongal is sweet. A rice pudding made from freshly harvested rice, jaggery, milk, and other spices it's a melting pot of tastes in one dish cooked in a colorful earthen pot.

The bulls trying to dash into young men who are trying to get control of them by grabbing their horns is a famous sport played during the Sankranti festival. It's known as Jallikattu which is deeply rooted in Tamil Nadu’s cultural tradition.