15 January 2023 Sunday Date Calendar | Pongal

• 14.01.2023 – Saturday – Bhogi
• 15.01.2023 – Sunday – Pongal
• 16.01.2023 – Monday – Mattu Pongal
• 17.01.2023 – Tuesday – Kaanum Pongal

One of the widely celebrated Hindu festivals in the corners of India is Makara Sankranti. It is a harvest festival and on this day Hindus worship the sun god and commemorate the arrival of lengthier days going forward. This festival is celebrated by different names in India. In Tamil Nadu Makar Sankranti or Sankranthi is considered Pongal. In Gujarat and Rajasthan, it is known as Uttarayana and in Haryana and Punjab, people call it Maghi.

Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu on the first day of Chithirai Tamil month. All farmers in Tamil Nadu make the sweet food of Pongal in pot for Sun God! The next day of the Pongal festival is Mattu Pongal. This celebration is for Cows and Bullocks! The third day of the Pongal festival is Kaanum Pongal. The main motive of the celebration is for all to chat together with their family members and friends! Bhogi is on the day before Pongal Day!

The four days festival starts with Bhogi and ends with Mukkanuma and as the calender of 2023,
Bhogi will be on January 14th, Sankranti on 14th January, Kanuma on 16th January, and on 17th January- Mukkanuma. Pongal Makara Sankranti 2023 is based on the arrival of the winter solstice, this implies it almost always falls on 15 January in the Gregorian Calendar. This festival differs from most other Hindu holy festivals because of the lunar basis that has shifting Gregorian dates.

People in accordance with tradition, visit the juncture of the Ganges and Yamuna Rivers to bathe in the holy water after delivering their prayers to the sun god. Also, it is a custom for a woman to avoid washing her hair on this auspicious day of Pongal Makar Sankranti. On the eve of Makara Sankranti, Indians follow countless festive events, family feasts, public fairs, bonfires, and other cultural and religious traditions. After decorating the house with colorful decorations, they go out to fly kites. Also, some children visit their neighbors and sing songs in exchange for sweets.

Apart from harvest significance, the festival of Makar Sankranti has tremendous religious and cultural importance. In accordance with the Puranas, it is acknowledged that Lord Surya pays a visit to his son, Lord Shani, lord of Makar sign. Thus, this festival represents a healthy father and son bond. Also, Makar Sankranti is celebrated to be aware of the triumph of Lord Vishnu over Asuras. Lord Vishnu finished the distress caused by Asuras on Prithvi Lok by chopping their heads off and sowing them under the Mandara Parvat.