Makar Sankranti (also known as Makara Sankranti or Maghi) refers to a specific solar day in the Hindu calendar. It marks the first day of sun’s transit into the Makara (Capricorn), marking the end of the month with the winter solstice and the start of longer days. Makar Sankranti is one of the few ancient Hindu festivals that has been observed according to solar cycles, while most festivals are set by the lunar cycle of the lunisolar Hindu calendar. Being a festival that celebrates the solar cycle, it almost always falls on the same Gregorian date every year (January 14), except in rare years when the date shifts by a day for that year.

The time between Makar Sankranti and 40 Ghatis (roughly 16 hours for Indian locations if we consider 1 Ghati duration as 24 minutes) from the time of Makar Sankranti is considered good for auspicious work. This duration of forty Ghatis is known as Punya Kaal. Sankranti activities, like taking bath, offering Naivedhya (food offered to deity) to Lord Surya, offering charity or Dakshina, performing Shraddha rituals and breaking fast or Parana, should be done during Punya Kaal. If Makar Sankranti happens after Sunset then all Punya Kaal activities are postponed till next day Sunrise. Hence all Punya Kaal activities should be done in day time.

Sankranti Muhurta falls between Makar Sankranti moment and 40 Ghatis from it, known as Punya Kaal Muhurta. Hindu holy scriptures suggest that 5 Ghatis duration after Sunrise (if Sankranti happens after Sunset on previous day) and 1 Ghati duration after Sankranti moment (if Sankranti happens in day time) are highly auspicious. If this Muhurta is available we know it as Mahapunya Kaal Muhurta.

As Makar Sankranti is one of the oldest solstice festivals and falls on the equinox, day and night on this day are believed to be equally long. Post the festival, it is officially the beginning of spring or the onset of Indian summer and the days become longer, and nights shorter.

In Tamil Nadu Makar Sankranti or Sankranthi is known as Pongal. In Gujarat and Rajasthan Makar Sankranti is known as Uttarayana. In Haryana and Punjab Makar Sankranti is known as Maghi. Khichdi is another name of the same festival.

There is a very interesting reason behind the kite-flying. Kite-flying in olden days was generally done in the early hours of the morning, when the sun’s rays were bright but not too harsh. Also, during kite-flying, the human body was exposed to the sun for long hours. The early morning sun is considered beneficial for the skin and body. By basking in the sun, Hindus believed that the bad bacteria on their bodies would be cleared to a certain extent.

Makar Sankranti generally marks the beginning of the Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh while in South India, in Kerala, one of the most austere and difficult pilgrimages of Shabrimala ends on this auspicious day.