Essay on Why Makar Sankranti is My Favourite Festival

Makar Sankranti

The onset of Hindu festivals from the beginning of the New Year happens by commemorating Makar Sankranti. This is the first festival of Hindus after the starting of the New Year. School, colleges, and offices are closed on this as it is marked as a public holiday. Most of the time the winter vacation is extended by the government and therefore schools directly opens after Makar Sankranti. We get many holidays and celebrate the festival along with enjoying our holidays.

Short and Long Essay on Makar Sankranti 2023 is My Favourite Festival

I love celebrating this festival and have provided my experience of the celebration of the festival in an essay. I hope it might provide some knowledge and interesting to be read.

Makar Sankranti Essay 10 Lines (100 – 150 Words)

1) Makar Sankranti is celebrated every year on 14 or 15 January.

2) It is the first Hindu festival after the New Year.

3) It is known by different names in different states.

4) Different items of jaggery and sesame seeds are made on this day.

5) Surya Dev (Sun) is worshipped on this occasion.

6) In many places, Khichdi is prepared from the newly harvested crops.

7) Flying kites is the main tradition of this festival.

8) On this day, various fairs are organized near the bank of rivers.

9) On the occasion of Makar Sankranti, people take bath in holy rivers.

10) It is marked as the beginning of a longer duration of days than nights.

Short Essay on Why Makar Sankranti 2023 is my Favourite Festival (250 words)

Introduction

Festivals are the source of happiness and rejoice in our life. There are numerous festivals celebrated in India. Every festival that is celebrated in the nation has its own significance behind its celebration. Festival is a great time for the people to spend it with their family, relatives, and friends.

The festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated on the 14th or 15th of January every year. It is an important festival for Hindus. The festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated in almost every part of India but by other names like Pongal, Lohri, Bihu, Khichdi, etc.

Why do I Love to Celebrate the Festival of Makar Sankranti?

Makar Sankranti is the festival that marks the beginning of the festivals in every New Year. This is the first festival of the year and therefore it is celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy. The most important reason for this festival to be one of my favourite festivals is that it falls in the winter season.

I love the rituals involved in celebrating this festival. I visit the Ganga River with my family to take bath in the river water on this day. It is also a great joy to bath in the river on a cold morning. Thereafter we wear new clothes and enjoy different types of eating items made up of jaggery and sesame seeds.

The most amazing part of this festival that I love is kite flying. I enjoy kite flying with my family, relatives, and friends. The kite flying competition is also organized by some people on this day. Lastly, we are served the tasty khichdi that is made by the newly harvested rice. We enjoy khichdi with pickle, ghee, and salad. The same festival is celebrated in other parts of the country by different names and rituals.

Conclusion

We worship lord Surya to thank him for his blessing for the good harvest of the crops. I love celebrating the festival of Makar Sankranti as it is a beautiful festival and fills us with joy.

Long Essay on My Favourite Festival: Makar Sankranti (1000 Words)

Introduction

India is the land of festivals. There are numerous festivals celebrated by people of different religions. Every festival has some story or reason for its celebration and is of religious significance. As India is an agricultural economy, many festivals are celebrated to pray and thank god for good yield on the harvest. Makar Sankranti is a popular festival of Hindus and celebrated by people in different parts of the nation.

What is Makar Sankranti?

Makar Sankranti is a festival of Hindus which is celebrated in all parts of India on the 14th or 15th of January. The festival is celebrated by different names in other parts of the nation but everywhere Surya dev is worshipped. It is celebrated as Pongal in Tamil Nadu which is accompanied by boat racing, Ghughuti in Uttarakhand, Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, Lohri in Punjab and Haryana, Magh Bihu in Assam. The people of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh also celebrate the harvest of new crops. This festival is celebrated as Khichdi in Uttar Pradesh. It is celebrated in different styles in different states of India.

An Account on Celebrating Makar Sankranti

The festival marks the significance of Deity Surya (Sun God). The sun enters Makar Rashi on this day which is of spiritual and scientific importance. The duration of days becomes longer than nights from this day onwards. The sun starts moving towards the northern hemisphere from the southern hemisphere and it is termed Uttarayana. People worship Surya Dev by offering prayers and chanting. Bathing in the holy water of the river Ganga to get all our sins washed is the most important ritual of this festival. The person attains moksha when he is no longer having sins.

The people also celebrate this festival for the new and good harvest of the crop. The women pray to God to get blessings for the long life of their husbands. There is the tradition of eating sweets made from jaggery and sesame seeds on this occasion.

I Love to Celebrate Makar Sankranti Festival

The sky becomes full of different types and colours of kites flying in the sky. It can be seen from one week before the festival. It is the festival that falls in the colder month but on this day we wake up early in the morning. We wear new attire after taking bath. Many people take bath in the river Ganga on this day. It is considered that all the sins and evils get wasted after dipping in the water of the river Ganga. On this day people from various places can be seen bathing on the banks of the river Ganga in Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Haridwar, etc.

In the morning after worshiping and giving water to the sun, we pray for the new crop of rice. We enjoy the foodstuffs made with sesame seed and jaggery in the morning. I love watching kites flying. In the afternoon Khichdi is prepared which is made of rice, pulses, and vegetables like peas, cauliflowers, etc. We eat khichdi with ghee or curd.

Fair get Organized on this Occasion

There is a tradition to take bath in the holy river on this occasion. Fair, known as Magh Mela is also organized near the river banks as people from different places gather over there. Kumbh Mela which is a large fair is organized on the bank of Sangam that is the confluence of three rivers i.e. Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati in Prayagraj. This harvests the pilgrims from different parts of India and the world. It is believed that the water of the holy river Ganga purifies our soul by removing all the dirt which a man posses in form of sins. The Kumbh Mela is organized on the Haridwar, Prayagraj, Ujjain, and Nasik river banks.

Provision of Charity

This festival is celebrated with unique traditions and cultures in different parts of India. In Uttar Pradesh, there is a provision of giving rice, pulse, and money to the poor people. People donate cereals and money to the saints also. The real happiness in the festival lies in making others happy and spreading love. Sharing is a noble deed.

Kite Flying Competition

Every year on this occasion, a competition kite flying is organized in our colony. The competition appears more interesting as it is organized in different rounds for different age groups. The starting of the competition is with kids. It is very funny and pleasing to watch our father and mother flying kites with full energy and a winning attitude. The DJ music system is also arranged and songs related to the theme of the festival are played. I never have participated in a competition as I won’t know how to fly kites but love watching people flying kites.

The sky is full of kites on this day. It is beautiful to watch the sky and the activity of kite flying. After finishing the competition, there is an arrangement of snacks and sweets for refreshment. In the end, three winners from each round are awarded. People from each house of the colony contribute to organizing this event. These small events and pictures clicked on this occasion make the festival and the day memorable.

Conclusion

The festival has its spiritual importance. People all over the country celebrate this festival with excitement and joy. It spreads brotherhood, sharing, love, and happiness among all. It is the festival of Hindus but while flying kites’ people of different religions accompany it, that is the sign of unity in diversity. The act of donating sweets and cereals to needy people gives us immense pleasure and satisfaction.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

Q.1 Why is it called Makar Sankranti?

Ans. It is because on this day the sun enters into Makar Rashi and marks the starting of longer days.

Q.2 Where is the International Kite Festival celebrated?

Ans. International Kite festival is celebrated every year in Gujarat on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.

Q.3 What is Makar Sankranti called in Punjab?

Ans. Makar Sankranti is known as Lohri in Punjab.

Q.4 Which colour cloth is worn by people in Makar Sankranti?

Ans. People wear black clothes at this festival as black absorbs heat and provides protection from cold.

Q.5 When is Kumbh Mela Organized?

Ans. Kumbh Mela is organized after every 12 years and starts from the day of Makar Sankranti and continued for one month or more.

Q.6 What is the concept behind bathing in the holy river Ganga on Makar Sankranti?

Ans. People take a dip in the holy water of the river Ganga to wash all their sins and become free of sins.