MAKARA SANKRANTI - PONGAL

Pic from my Murdeshwara trip:)

After marriage this is the first Sankranti/Pongal we are celebrating together..Being the first festival of year (English calender) makes it special. This year it was on a week-end, since we had 2 days off, i got lots of time for arrangements.

Day/Month of Celebration: 
14/15th of January. 

God Worshipped  on this Occassion: 
Surya Bhagwan and Also Gomata(Holy cow)

Special Food Prepared:
Sweet-Pongal
Khara-pongal 
Yellu-bella-Sakkare Acchu
Sweet potato
Sugarcane
Boiled groundnuts..

Practise on this Day:

In Cities: Decorate  doors with Thaliru thorana( Mango leaves and flowers used for decoration), Worship all gods, especially surya bhagavan and holy cow. Prepare Habbada-Adige (Feast prepared on festival days with sweets and multiple dishes). Evening girls dress beautifully and  do Ellu Birodhu (visit relatives/neighbours with  Sankranti offering in a plate, which includes Kabbu(sugarcane),Sakre acchu(colurful sugar candy molds), Ellu-Bella( Mixture of Sesame seeds and finely cut jaggery,fried groundnuts, dry coconut)

In Villages: Apart from decorations and Habbada-Adige, Villagers collect all there Harvests in Field and do pooja for that as a symbol of  thanking the Sun God for ensuring a good harvest and dedicate the first grain to him.. They also decorate  cows and cattle in colourful costumes and take for procession. They are also made to cross a pyre. There is also a practise among few people to pour Ellu-Bella and small gold pieces on young girls as a symbol of prosperity..

Bull decorated (From net)

Bull crossing Pyre (From net).

Significance:

** Sankranti is the Sanskrit word, which refers to the transmigration of the Sun from one Rashi to the other, however, the Sankranti festival usually refers only to one – Makara Sankaranti, transition of the Sun from Dhanu rashi

** Shoonya masa(Dhanur masa) comes to end on this day. Auspicious things which were on hold during Shunya masa are kick started from this day.

** The starting of Uttarayana(when the sun travels towards the north) is celebrated as Makara Sankranti.

** Also being  first festival of year(English Calender) 
     makes it special.

Story associated with Makara Sankranti:(Favourite part :)

As per legend  Surya deva visits the house of his son Shani deva,(Swami of Makar Rashi). Its usually said Surya deva and Shani deva  dont, get along well. But inspite of any difference between each other Lord Surya visits shani deva's house(Makara rashi)for a month.

Uttarayan is started on this day (Uttarayana is the day when the Sun leaves Dhanus and enters the Makar rashi . This marks the beginning of Uttarayan Punyakalam, a period of six months which is considered highly auspicious. It is believed to be the day time of the Devas.

It was on this day, Bhishma (Ichaa marani, the one who can die, on his prefered day) who was on bed of arrows made by Arjuna, took his last breath and reached vikuntam.

It was on this day, Lord Bhageeratha brought ganga to earth to redeem the curse of his ancestors.

It was on this day, Lord vishnu defeated Demons (Asura samhara), who was troubling devas to take away Amruta, which  emerged out of the ocean during "Samudra Manthana" (Churning of ocean").

108 names of Lord Surya

Om arunaya namah
Om sharanyaya namah
Om karuna-rasa-sindhave namah
Om asmanabalaya namah
Om arta-raksa-kaya namah
Om adityaya namah
Om adi-bhutaya namah
Om akhila-gamavedine namah
Om acyutaya namah
Om akhilagnaya namah
Om anantaya namah
Om inaya namah
Om visva-rupaya na mah
Om ijyaya namah
Om indraya namah
Om bhanave Namah
Om indriramandiraptaya namah
Om vandaniyaya namah
Om ishaya namah
Om suprasannaya namah
Om sushilaya namah
Om suvarcase namah
Om vasupradaya namah
Om vasave namah
Om vasudevaya namah
Om ujjvalaya namah
Om ugra-rupaya namah
Om urdhvagaya namah
Om vivasvate namah
Om udhatkiranajalaya namah
Om hrishikesaya namah
Om urjasvalaya namah
Om viraya namah
Om nirjaraya namah
Om jayaya namah
Om urudvayavirnimuktanijasarakrashivandyaya namah
Om rugdhantre namah
Om kraksacakracaraya namah
Om krajusvabhavavittaya namah
Om nityastutyaya namah
Om krukaramatrikavarnarupaya ujjvalatejase namah
Om kruksadhinathamitraya namah
Om pushakaraksaya namah
Om luptadantaya namah
Om shantaya namah
Om kantidaya namah Aum dhanaya namah
Om kanatkanaka sushanaya namah
Om khalotaya namah
Om lunit-akhila-daityaya namah
Om satya-ananda-svarupine namah
Om apavarga-pradaya namah
Om arta-sharanyaya namah
Om ekakine namah
Om bhagavate namah
Om sushtisthityantakarine namah
Om gunatmane namah
Om dhrinibhrite namah
Om brihate namah
Om brahmane namah
Om esvaryadaya namah
Om sharvaya namah
Om haridashvaya namah
Om shauraye namah
Om dashadiksam-prakashaya namah
Om bhakta-vashyaya namah
Om ojaskaraya namah
Om jayine namah
Om jagad-ananda-hetave namah
Om taya janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-varji
Om aounnatyapadasamcararathasthaya-asuraraye namah
Om kamaniyakagaya namah
Om abjaballabhaya namah
Om antar-bahih prakashaya namah
Om acintyaya namah
Om atma-rupine namah
Om acyutaya namah
Om amareshaya namah
Om parasmai jyotishe namah
Om ahaskaraya namah
Om ravaye namah
Om haraye namah
Om param-atmane namah
Om tarunaya namah
Om tarenyaya namah
Om grahanam pataye namah
Om bhaskaraya namah
Om adimadhyantara-hitaya namah
Om saukhyapradaya namah
Om sakalajagatam pataye namah
Om suryaya namah
Om kavaye namah
Om narayanaya namah
Om pareshaya namah
Om tejorupaya namah
Om shrim hiranyagarbhaya namah
Om hrim sampatkaraya namah
Om aim istarthadaya namah
Om am suprasannaya namah
Om shrimate namah
Om shreyase namah
Om saukhyadayine namah
Om diptamurtaye namah
Om nikhilagamavedhyaya namah
Om nityanandaya namah

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