Makar Sankranti · Pongal, Uttarayan, Lohri (eve), Magh Bihu
The Sun enters Makara: til-gud, kites, holy baths and harvest joy.
In 81 days Sun enters Makara (Capricorn) at 9:10 pm (14 Jan) ISTTimes for New Delhi (IST)
Date, muhurat and timings
Rule: The day the Sun enters sidereal Makara (Capricorn)
Makar Sankranti timings, Friday, 15 January 2027, New Delhi
| Sankranti moment | 9:10 pm (14 Jan) |
|---|---|
| Punya kaal | 7:15 am – 12:30 pm |
| Maha punya kaal | 7:15 am – 8:51 am |
| Sunrise | 7:15 am |
| Sunset | 5:46 pm |
The time after that: Saturday, 15 January 2028
All times are for New Delhi, computed from the sidereal (Lahiri) panchang. They update themselves daily and roll over to the next date once the festival has passed. Today’s panchang for New Delhi
Makar Sankranti celebrates the Sun entering Makara (Capricorn) in the sidereal zodiac, the start of the Sun’s auspicious northward half (Uttarayan) and the winter harvest. It is one of the few Hindu festivals set by the Sun, so it falls around 14 or 15 January. Here is this year’s exact sankranti moment and punya kaal for your city.
Meaning and story of Makar Sankranti
In the Vedic calendar a sankranti is the Sun’s entry into a new sign. Makara Sankranti is the most celebrated, marking longer days and fresh crops. India celebrates it in many ways: Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Uttarayan kites in Gujarat, Magh Bihu in Assam, Khichdi in Uttar Pradesh and Lohri bonfires in Punjab on the eve.
Til (sesame) and gud (jaggery) are shared everywhere with words like “til-gud ghya, god god bola”: take sweetness and speak sweetly. It is a festival of warmth, generosity and reconciliation.
Puja vidhi, step by step
- Bathe early, in a river if possible or with a little Ganga water at home, during the punya kaal.
- Offer water (arghya) to the Sun with red flowers and a few sesame seeds; chant the Gayatri or Surya mantra.
- Donate til, jaggery, khichdi, blankets or warm clothes.
- Prepare til-gud laddoo, khichdi or pongal and share them with neighbours.
- Fly kites in the sunshine if that is your custom, safely.
What you will need
- Sesame seeds and jaggery
- Rice, dal and ghee for khichdi
- Red flowers and a copper lota for arghya
- Blankets or warm clothes to donate
- Kites and cotton thread
Do
- Use the punya kaal for bath, arghya and charity.
- Use cotton kite thread; protect birds.
- Visit and make up with someone you have drifted from.
- Spend some time in the morning sun.
Avoid
- Never use glass-coated or nylon (Chinese) manja; it injures birds and people.
- Avoid rooftops without railings when flying kites.
- Don’t throw food offerings into rivers carelessly.
- Avoid harsh words; the day is for sweet speech.
A small note for each rashi this Makar Sankranti
Gentle, general suggestions for your Moon sign, not predictions. Every sign is welcome at every festival.
- Mesha Aries
Your gift: initiative, comfortable going first. Drop one habit that holds you back and start one that moves you forward.
- Vrishabha Taurus
Your gift: patience and staying power. Clear one physical space at home or work; order outside brings calm inside.
- Mithuna Gemini
Your gift: fast learning and adaptability. Write down three things you want this season to bring, and share one with a friend.
- Karka Cancer
Your gift: empathy and emotional intelligence. Let go of an old hurt today; a fresh start begins with a lighter heart.
- Simha Leo
Your gift: natural authority and presence. Drop one habit that holds you back and start one that moves you forward.
- Kanya Virgo
Your gift: analytical precision. Clear one physical space at home or work; order outside brings calm inside.
- Tula Libra
Your gift: diplomacy and tact. Write down three things you want this season to bring, and share one with a friend.
- Vrishchika Scorpio
Your gift: depth and focus. Let go of an old hurt today; a fresh start begins with a lighter heart.
- Dhanu Sagittarius
Your gift: optimism and faith. Drop one habit that holds you back and start one that moves you forward.
- Makara Capricorn
Your gift: discipline and patience. Clear one physical space at home or work; order outside brings calm inside.
- Kumbha Aquarius
Your gift: original, independent thinking. Write down three things you want this season to bring, and share one with a friend.
- Meena Pisces
Your gift: compassion and kindness. Let go of an old hurt today; a fresh start begins with a lighter heart.
Questions about Makar Sankranti
When is Makar Sankranti?
The next Makar Sankranti is on Friday, 15 January 2027: The day the Sun enters sidereal Makara (Capricorn). For New Delhi, sankranti moment: 9:10 pm (14 Jan). Times change by city; choose yours above.
Why is Makar Sankranti sometimes on 15 January?
It follows the Sun’s entry into sidereal Capricorn. When that moment is after sunset, the observance moves to the next day. The slow drift of the ayanamsa also moves the date by about a day every 70 years.
What is punya kaal?
The auspicious period after the sankranti moment for bath, prayer and charity. When the sankranti happens at night, punya kaal is the next morning. Maha punya kaal is the first part of it.
Is Makar Sankranti the winter solstice?
No. The solstice (the shortest day) is around 21 December. Makar Sankranti follows the sidereal zodiac, which today runs about 24 days behind the tropical one.
How are Pongal and Lohri related?
Pongal is the Tamil harvest festival that begins on the same solar day. Lohri is celebrated on the night before Makar Sankranti in Punjab and north India.
How are these dates worked out?
Every festival is fixed by a rule: the lunar month, the paksha, the tithi, and the part of the day (such as pradosh, madhyahna or nishita) in which that tithi must fall. Our engine finds the next time that happens from the sidereal (Lahiri) Sun and Moon and computes the muhurat from your city’s sunrise and sunset. Dates are checked against Drik Panchang. Where traditions differ, such as Smarta and Vaishnava reckoning, we say so above; your family custom or local priest always comes first.
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