Makar Sankranti: The transit of Sun into Capricorn signalling Uttarayana - Scale your business with Vedic Astrology reading

Makar Sankranti is a vibrant Indian festival that marks the Sun’s transition into the zodiac sign Capricorn or Makara. It is also known as Maghi or Paush Sankranti. The Makar Sankranti is the most celebrated cosmological event in India and across the Indian diaspora.

Meteorologically it symbolises the end of winter and the beginning of longer, warmer days. It has paramount religious and cultural significance too. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm across the entire length and breadth of India.

It is now identified as an emblem of an underlying unity among the regional diversity of India.

Let's salute Lord Sun before moving ahead-

ततो युद्धपरिश्रान्तं समरे चिन्तया स्थितम्।
रावणं चाग्रतो दृष्ट्वा युद्धाय समुपस्थितम्॥१॥
दैवतैश्च समागम्य द्रष्टुमभ्यागतो रणम्।
उपगम्याब्रवीद् राममगस्त्यो भगवांस्तदा॥२॥

Meaning -
Here Shri Ramchandraji was standing in the battlefield worrying and tired of the war. In this scene, Ravana appeared in front of them for the war. Seeing this, Lord Agastya Muni, who had come to see the war with the gods, went to Shri Ram and uttered the Aditya Hridaya Stotra. Following which Lord Ram regained the vitality to fight back and won over Ravan.

Source : Aditya Hridaya Stotra

Makara Sankranti - Meaning, Date, and Time: Align with the cosmic energies with numerology name correction

Meaning:

The transition of the Sun from one zodiac sign to another zodiac sign is called Sankranti in Vedic culture. The entry of the Sun in the sign of Capricorn or Makar is called Makar Sankranti.

Unlike other festivals which are celebrated following a lunar calendar, Sankranti is celebrated following the Solar calendar. This keeps its date fixed on the Gregorian calendar as well. It usually falls on January 14 or January 15.

Makar Sankranti marks the end of the winter solstice. Ergo, this brings the beginning of longer days as the sun starts its northward journey, known as Uttarayan. Uttarayana is the combination of two Sanskrit words uttar = North, Ayan = Movement of the Sun.

Uttarayana lasts for six months. In Vedic culture, this six-month period is considered highly auspicious. The deities are awakened (referring to Lord Vishnu) and they bless quickly.

Date & Time:

Makara Sankranti on Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Makara Sankranti Punya Kala -
03:13 PM to 06:18 PM
Duration - 03 Hours 05 Mins

Makara Sankranti Maha Punya Kala -
03:13 PM to 05:04 PM
Duration - 01 Hour 51 Mins

Source : Drikpanchang

Time is an important aspect of astrology. It is the chief factor in determining our success and life path. Always seek a consultation with a professional astrologer like Smt Ekktaa before setting out on a new venture. A single minute has the power to change the course of your life.

The Bhaga Aditya of Makar Sankranti

The Aditya, associated with Makar Sankranti. Bhag in Sanskrit means give or distribution. Bhag is the giver of wealth and good fortune.

The lord Bhag sees that everyone gets wealth but more importantly he sees that everyone gets the share of wealth according to his/her bhagya. The Sanskrit word bhagya or kismet comes from Bhag.

Legends

Tale 1: Bhishma Pitamah and the longing for Moksha

The importance of Uttarayana is clearly mentioned in Mahabharata. One of the central characters, Bhishma Pitamah was known for his principles and loyalty to the throne of Hastinapur.

He was granted the boon of icha mrityu or death by wish. Arjun and Shikhandi, badly wounded him in the battlefield of Kurukshetra. He was supposed to die that day.

But he refused to give up his life, as it was the period of Dakshinayana. It is an inauspicious period.

Bhishma Pitamah wished to attain moksha. So, he slept on the bed of arrows while his blood dripped day and night for more than fifty days. Still, he waited patiently for Uttarayana.

It is said, dying during Uttarayan leads to complete liberation of the soul or the “moksha”. Finally, after Makar Sankranti, he chose death on Bhishm Ashtami.

Tale 2: River Ganges and King Bhagirath : Bhagirath Prayatanam

King Bhagirath was a great King of the Ishvaku dynasty. His great grandfather King Sagar performed an Ashvamedh Yagya. Lord Indra stole the horse and hid it in the underworld or Pataal loka.

The horse was kept hidden at the spot where Sage Kapila was doing his penance. When 60,000 sons of King Sagar reached the spot to rescue the horse, they disturbed the sage. He turned them into ashes with his fiery gaze.

Only the holy water of the heavenly river Ganges could release their souls trapped in their ashes due to sudden death.

King Bhagirath did great penance and finally Goddess Ganges appeared to him. She said the force of her flow will pierce the Earth. King Bhagirath should pray to Lord Shiva who can hold her in his matted hair.

King Bhagirath did as said and finally Goddess Ganges arrived on earth. It is said that Ganga Sagar was the place where Sage Kapila burnt the sons of King Sagar.

So, on Makar Sankranti, people visit the pilgrimage site of Ganga Sagar to pay their respects to Lord Shiva, Goddess Ganga, and King Bhagirath.

Tale 3: God Vishnu and demons

It is believed that Lord Vishnu killed all the demons and buried them under the Mandar Parvat

He did this on the day of Makar Sankranti.

So, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as the day of victory of good over evil.

Tale 4: Lord Sun visiting his son

In another legend, it says that Saturn is the son of Lord Sun from his other wife Sandhya Devi.

They are very opposite by nature. The sun is energy and fire. Saturn is delay and coldness. Still, the father enters his home to show that differences in nature must not stand between relationships.

Relationships are complicated. A compatible partner is a gift from the stars. If you are facing obstruction in the growth of your relationship, consult Ekktaa for relationship astrology compatibility if you are not sure about the accuracy of your birth timing.

An astrological view of the cosmological event

Sun will be transiting the three nakshatras of Capricorn –

Uttarasahada

The native is popular, religious, and knowledgeable. He/she loves to socialize, travel, and groom themselves.

Shravana

The native is an eloquent speaker. He is interested in speech as well as languages. He can be an excellent teacher, lecturer, or an explorer of ancient knowledge.

Dhanishta

The native with Sun in Dhanishtha Nakshatra, rises in the second half of their life. They are known for their fondness of music. They are wealthy and love to travel.

Sun gets Digbala in Makara Rashi

In astrology, a planet gains various types of strength according to position, sign, aspect, and time. Digbala is the strength where a planet becomes extremely powerful due to the direction. The Sun and Mars become very mighty in the south direction.

The tenth house of the natural zodiac is the south direction in astrology. When Sun enters Makar or Capricorn, it gains Digbala or the directional strength. This additional strength makes it one of the most important transits of the year.

It also signals the beginning of all the auspicious activities like fixing a marriage, buying new property, and more.

If you are planning to start something important in life and want someone to guide you from the comfort of your home, then connect with Ekktaa for the best online astrology consultation

Makar Sankranti –Time for new beginnings, auspicious activities

Makar Sankranti is the time when Sun starts his northward journey and blesses the earth with longer and warmer days.

All the auspicious activities begin here.

A Vedic Harvest Festival

Makar Sankranti has special association with agriculture as it coincides with the harvesting of the winter crops like wheat, sugarcane, and rice.

In an agricultural country like India, the sun and its movements have a direct impact on the reaping seasons. So, the farming communities thank the Sun God for blessing them with a bountiful harvest.

Since ancient times, the prosperity of the agricultural communities boosts the overall economy. In a way, the entire society thanks Sun God for bestowing prosperity and happiness. The offerings given to Sun God on Makar Sankranti include sesame seeds, jaggery, sugarcane, khichadi or a mixture of pulses and rice.

All of the above ingredients come from winter crops.

A Pan India Solar Event

The mela or traditional fair of Maghi Sankranti is mentioned in the Mahabharata. Even today, organising fairs and now exhibitions are a common way to celebrate the festival.

Perhaps in ancient times mela were the places to sell or barter the harvested goods and became an essential part of the festival.

Rituals and Traditions

• Visiting Ganga Sagar island is the core of the festival. It bestows the blessings of Sun God upon the pilgrims.
• Devotees take holy dips in rivers like the Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Krishna, to cleanse sins.
• Flying kites and singing folk songs, playing traditional games keep the communities united.
• Traditional foods like pitha, khichari, tilgul are prepared to celebrate the new harvest.
• Charity and donations (daan) are encouraged, especially of food, warm clothes like blankets, and money.

Do you know daan or donation is one of the most powerful remedies in Vedic astrology. Vedic scholars have prescribed various kinds of donations in astrology for career success. Connect with Smt Ekktaa to explore various meritorious ways to boost your career.

As we have already mentioned, this is one of the festivals which is celebrated across India. Although the name and rituals may differ, consuming freshly harvested rice, sesame seeds, and jaggery are a constant in almost every state.

• Punjab: Known as Lohri or Maghi, celebrated with bonfires, folk songs, and folk dances, commemorating the braveness of Dulha Bhatti.
• Gujarat and Maharashtra: Famous for kite flying competitions and exchanging tilgul (sesame and jaggery) sweets.
• Tamil Nadu: Celebrated as Pongal, a four-day festival with rituals like boiling the first rice of the season typically in cow milk.
• Assam: Known as Magh or Bhogali Bihu, marked by feasts of pithai. A traditional sweet made with rice flour and stuffed with til and gur.
• West Bengal: Called Paush Sankranti after the name of the month. Pitha is prepared just like Assam.
• Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh: People decorate cattle and prepare special sweets like Ellu-bella. In Kannada, Ellu is Sesame seeds and Bella is jaggery.

Why Sesame & Jaggery are so intertwined with Makar Sankranti

Ancient Hindus had a profound knowledge of the cosmos and human life. Even before the dawn of global civilization they understood that the cosmos is deeply connected with earth and her weather cycles.

They understood that Saturn is the owner of Capricorn. Sun and Saturn both deserve to be equally respected.

So, they chose sesame seeds and jaggery as a part of the celebration.

A Game of Kites

Kite flying is also an important part of the festivities. In western India, Gujarat and Maharashtra, kite flying is a symbol of soaring above the hurdles. The kite flying competitions bring people closer to each other regardless of age, caste, and community.

Fathers teaching their children the tricks to navigate their kites in the sky. Grandparents recalling their own stories of kite flying competitions. Mothers cooking delicacies for the winners and losers alike.

Neighbours from all communities come together with a spirit of brotherhood and unity. This way traditional knowledge and communal brotherhood is promoted in a fun way. And our rich cultural values are passed on effortlessly to the next generation.

Festivities were planned by our ancestors as per the celestial events. Donations and penance made on special days carry unmatched merit. Connect with Ekktaa from Ekohumm for an astrology chart reading for a brighter future.

Conclusion :

Makar Sankranti is the most powerful testament of India's rich astronomical knowledge. Our ancestors understood and created a seamless integration of science, spirituality, and festivities in Indian culture. Our Vedic scholars promoted environmental awareness which is a key to survival for Earthlings.

The celebration of sun and the harvest, reminds us of our dependence on nature and her resources. In modern age, the rampant urbanization has somewhat disconnected the city dwellers from agriculture. In such a scenario, Makar Sankranti revives the spirit of gratitude, renewal, and communal harmony.

It also highlights the needs of harbouring practical guidelines for sustainable agriculture. Saving the natural resources is the only way to survive for the Earthlings.

Author Profile: Your Jyotishi Ekktaa

Ekktaa is a Pune based Vedic astrologer and a numerologist. She has blended her natural gift of strong intuition with the science of vedic astrology and numerology. Additionally she is a trained psychologist who has 3000+ hours of counselling experience.

Ekktaa’s empathetic attitude rekindles the will to fight back even in the biggest pessimist. She firmly believes that the planets and our natal charts are a way to understand the purpose of our birth, our karmic debt, and to advance further in our eternal journey. Our chart is our map of success and not a thing to dread about.

Testimony

Here's a testimony from Mr Rajput from Indapur, Maharashtra -

I was totally devastated after the lockdown. All my real estate investments were blocked and I felt like I'm just a step away from being a pauper. But my elder daughter insisted on connecting with Ekktaa. Although I felt that Ekktaa was too young, my mindset changed after the consultation.

She told me that my struggle is not going to stay forever. Things will soon change, and yes they did. And she gave me just two remedies which were prescribed based on my comfort.

The remedies and lifestyle changes that she recommended, I practised them with complete faith and it started opening doors for me. All my old buyers started connecting with me. And by 2024, I was back in business.

Thanks Ekktaa! My gratitude and appreciation can never measure up to what you did for me!

A thorough birth chart reading can aid you to map your life aligning with the stars. And then you are bound to become unstoppable.

FAQ

1) What is Makar Sankranti?

Makar Sankranti is the entry of the Sun into the sign of Capricorn or Makar.

2) Why do we consume Sesame (Til) & Jaggery (Gud) on Makar Sankranti?

The consumption of Sesame seeds and jaggery provides the much needed warmth to us in these freezing winters. Moreover, the Sesame seeds belong to Saturn, the owner of the Capricorn zodiac, and Sun is represented by jaggery. Eating both of them helps us to attain the grace of these two heavenly bodies.

3) Why do people fly kites on Makar Sankranti?

Flying kites are a symbol of the soaring sun on the horizon. In some regions they are known to represent standing crops or fertility. It's a frolicsome way of bringing together all the communities for a celebration.

4) We have heard that mobile numbers impact our lives a lot. Can Ekktaa help us to pick the right one?

Yes, mobile numbers have a profound impact on our communication. In Ekktaa’s view, astrology and numerology can work in sync to bring the best transformations in our lives.

Her extraordinary knowledge of the power of numbers (both individual and clustered) have helped people to pick the right mobile numbers to communicate effectively in professional and personal spheres.