Makar Sankranti the festival of rejuvenation!!

Ahmedabad during Uttarayan, the kite flying festival in India

An event is best experienced at the heart of all the action. A perfect example of this is Makar Sankranti or Uttarayan – the kite flying festival we attended in Ahmedabad, Gujrat. While the evening was spent in the old lanes of Ahmedabad flying kites with the entire city, the morning was for the International Kite Festival under the bright blue skies at the banks of the river Sabarmati, admiring kites in all shapes and sizes soaring up in the sky. It was an experience we will cherish forever.

The entire city – with friends, families and relatives – was gathered on rooftops. Everyone was engaged in a kite flying frenzy.

The significance of Makar Sankranti (Uttarayan)

Unlike other Hindu festivals which follow the lunar motion, Makar Sankranti follows the movement of the sun. It marks the beginning of the sun’s transition into the zodiac of Capricorn (Makar=Capricorn, Sankranti= transition). This makes it the only festival to fall on a fixed date every year – January 14th.

It is a festive day all over India. Each region celebrates its own local form of this festival. In the western parts of India, it is called the “Makar Sankranti”.

This is the day winter officially ends and spring begins – a transition symbolic of discarding the previous season’s bad and the beginning of a fresh new season.

Uttarayan is synonymous with kite flying.

For days preceding the festival of Makar Sankranti (Uttarayan), the markets are filled with colourful kites. They are all waiting to be bought by the heaps.

The night before the main Makar Sankranti (Uttarayan) day, markets are choc-a-bloc with people. They are all selecting their stash for kite flying the next day.

Mobile kite vendors like this boy have to carry the kites on their heads, for the fear of them being trampled otherwise. There isn’t any other safe way to roam around with them.

All sorts of colourful shiny toys act as accompaniments to the kites! The atmosphere is not short of a carnival. Festivities are in the air!

Making of the manjha

Manjha is the thread tied to the kites. It is made by specific communities. Each colour stands for a specific community. It is not just a regular thread. Manjha is coated with powdered glass, making it extremely sharp.

Kite fliers are aware of this. The expert ones always take proper precautions. Their fingers are heavily bandaged before the start of kite flying.

 

Mornings are for the International  Kite Festival

While the Makar Sankranti celebrations take place in the evening, mornings are the perfect time to attend the International Kite Festival on the banks of the river Sabarmati. After a hearty breakfast, head straight to the festival grounds.

The first glimpse of the kites at the International Kite Festival is an arresting and slightly unbelievable sight. Horses and tigers are vying for air space with aliens, pirates and the Smurfs!

You realise kite flying is no child’s play when you see the strength exerted by these kite fliers to keep their kites afloat. 

Food – important to any Indian festival.

In Gujarat, a special winter vegetable called undhiyo is the speciality of the day. It’s a preparation of several beans, roots and other local seasonal vegetables.

Then there are the twisted and crooked orange spirals called jalebee. Their explosive sweetness is a perfect accompaniment to the rustic goodness of the undhiyo.

The smooth flowing batter is first fried in the shape of these spirals. The fiery golden discs are then instantly dunked in sugar syrup. The result is melt-in-your-mouth sweet heaven.

Jalebees are not for the mild-hearted, mind you! They are desserts meant for the hardcore sugar lover, like me. 😉

And yes, any festival is all about love! We all need big love!

The kite flying is by no means a friendly pass time that people indulge in for Makar Sankranti (Uttarayan). Some closely fought contests take place mid-air. Save your kite and bring the other person’s down is the name of the game. You must visit this place the real vibe I am sharing here in letters.

                  Source: India.com

I would like to end sharing my experience on a high note by saying that there are various beliefs of people and community of different regions from all over India but the sole purpose of this festival remains the same i.e., to thank the Hindu religious God Surya or Sun for the success and prosperity in individual's life.

It is basically celebrated by making and sharing of a sticky bound of sweets particularly made from sesame (til) and jaggery (gur). The sharing of such a typical sweet symbolizes the togetherness of people in peace and joyfullness, despite the uniqueness and differences between the individuals. 

Let this festival keep our long linving culture strong and mutual with all of it's speciality and gratitude no matter with what name- Pongal, Magh Bihu, Lohri, Uttarayan or be it Makar Sankranti.