Sankranti

Important Sankrantis

• Makar Sankranti: Marks the transition of the Sun into Makara rashi on its celestial path, and the six-month Uttarayana period. Makar Sankranti is also called as Uttarayana - the day on which the sun begins his northward journey. The traditional Indian calendar is based on lunar positions, Sankranti is a solar event. The date of Makar Sankranti remains constant over a long term, 14 January or occasionally, 15 January as the Sun begins to rise in Makara Rashi.
• Mesha Sankranti: Marks the beginning of the New Year in the traditional Hindu Solar Calendar. On this day, the sun enters the sidereal Aries, or Mesha rashi. It generally falls on 14/15 April. Regional New Year festivals also take place on this day: Vishu in Kerala, Vaisakhi in the Punjab region, Pana Sankranti in Odisha and on the day after Mesha Sankranti, is Pohela Boishakh in Bengal and Bohag Bihu in Assam.
• Mithuna Sankranti: celebrated as annual menstruating phase of Mother Earth as Raja Parba or Ambubachi Mela in Eastern and North Eastern provinces of India.
• Dhanu Sankranti: celebrated on the first day of the solar month. In Southern Bhutan and Nepal it is celebrated by eating wild potatoes. The 2017 date is December 17.
• Karka Sankranti' : July 16, marks the transition of the Sun into Karka rashi. This also marks the end of the six-month Uttarayana period of Hindu calendar, and the beginning of Dakshinayana, which itself end at Makar Sankranti.