India is a land of festivals. A majority of the population here depends on agriculture. As a result, most of the festivals are also related to the agricultural activities of the people. These festivals are celebrated with different names and rituals in almost all the states of India. Held in the middle of January, it is the time when the people get ready to thank God, Earth and their Cattle for the wonderful harvest and celebrate the occasion with joyous festivities and rituals.

Sankranti is celebrated as 'Pongal' in TamilNadu. It is a highly revered festivals celebrated in Tamil Nadu to mark the harvesting of crops by farmers. Pongal continues through the first four days of Thai month (that starts in the mid-January and spreads to mid-February). The houses are cleaned, painted and decorated. Kolams (Rangolis made out of rice flour) are made in the front yards of the houses and new clothes for the whole family are bought to mark the festivities.

In Gujrat and Northern states, the days become windy. People fly kites, and makes sweets from sesame seeds and jaggery and share them with family and friends. Ahmedabad has The International Kite Flying Competition held around this time.

Bogi/Makara Sankranti / Pongal

This holy day marks the commencement of the Sun's northern course in the Heavens - the Uttaraayana patha. This turn in the Sun's course takes place at the point of time when it enters the sign of Makara or Capricorn.from this day, the day-duration increases and the night decreases. According to the lunar calendar, the sun moves from the Tropic of Cancer into the Tropic of Capricorn today, thus beginning to face the northern hemisphere again and signaling bright days. It is the harbinger of more light and sunshine in life and lessening of its darker aspects.

Light symbolizes the warmth, i.e., the love and affection, the quality of the heart. In many areas of Bharat, this is symbolized by the distribution of til-gul - the sesame seeds and jaggery. The til brimming with fragrant and delicious oil, stands for friendship and comradeship and jaggery for the sweetness of speech and behavior. The distribution of til-gul, therefore, forms touching aspects of the Makara Sankramana celebration.

Sankranti, signifying light, also gives the message of intellectual illumination. It is the capacity to discriminate between the right and the wrong, the just and the unjust, truth and falsehood, virtue and vice.

This happy occasion is termed as Pongal in TamilNadu and as Khichadi in northern Bharat - both of them being names of sweet delicacies specially prepared on that day! And Makara Sankranthi in Andhra Pradesh. Pongal literally means "to boil" in Tamil, and the day begins at sunrise with married women mixing up a big pot of milk, newly-harvested rice and ghee.

The mixture is put on the fire, and as it begins to simmer the family chants "Pongal! Pongal!". This ritual symbolizes the plentiful harvest, and part of the sticky concoction is set out as an offering to the sun and to Ganesha.. Since one of the purposes of the day is to share and give thanks, the pot of pongal is passed around to friends, holy men and neighborhood animals.

The festival is dedicated to the Sun God. On this day the granaries are full, sun shines brightly, trees are in full bloom, bird-songs resound in the air and hearts overflow with happiness that get translated into colourful and joyous celebrations. A plank is placed on the ground and Kolam designs are drawn on its sides. In the centre of the plank is drawn a large figure of the Sun God with his effulgent rays. The "Puja" of the Sun God starts after the auspicious moment of the birth of the new month THAI. Prayers are rendered to the Sun God to seek his benedictions.

This festival is also celebrated in honour of Lord Indra, the supreme ruler of clouds that give rains. Homage is paid to Lord Indra for the abundance of harvest, thereby bringing plenty and prosperity to the land.

This festival is also considered the festival of cattle. To the village people cow, the giver of milk and the bull which draws the plough in the fields are very valuable and therefore the farmers honour their friends (silent:who cannot express themselves in words) by celebrating it as a day of thanks-giving to them. The cattle are washed; their horns are painted and covered with shining metal caps. Multi-coloured beads, tinkling bells, sheafs of corn and flower garlands are tied around their necks. They are fed with pongal and taken to the village centres. The resounding of their bells attracts the villagers as the young men race each other's cattle. The entire atmosphere becomes festive and full of fun and revelry.