Utarayan as it is known in Gujarat or Makar Sankranti in the rest of India . It is the only festival which come religiously on the same day 14 Jan each year.
In North India, it's Lohri on the 13th. The festival of Lohri is related to the harvest season. Harvest and fertility festivals a special significance for an agrarian country like India. Punjab being a predominantly agricultural state that prides itself on its food grain production, it is little wonder that Lohri is its one of the most significant festival.. . The fundamental theory behind the festival of Lohri is the sense of togetherness and the culturally rich legacy of the people of Punjab.
Lohri in Punjab and Haryana have always been celebrated with much exuberance and fanfare. They believe in celebrating this harvest festival together and rejoicing it to the fullest. For the masses this festival is a popular occasion for social intercourse and enjoyment. They make a bonfire and roast 'fresh chholia' (green gram) in pods with its leaves and stems intact, and eat it. They also sing and dance sitting around the fire. Lohri is thus a community festival and is always celebrated by getting together with neighbors and the relatives.
On the 14th, people observe Makarsankranti across India, Uttarayan in the West, Pongal and Tamil New Year in the South, and Magha Bihu in the East.
It is a harvest festival and officially marks the decline of winter.
I have just once in all my time celebrated it in Rajkot ,Saurashtra. .Celebrations start from early morning and people fly kites till late night . KAIPO CHE and LAPET seem to be the buzzwords for the day. Nowhere have I seen Tukkals ( kites which are flown at night ) being flown with such abandon.
Work is on the backburner for the day . Undhiya , jalebi and Chikki and Ganderi , revri are the order of the day.
I remember being shouted at most during the pech . Holding the firki is talent you follow the hand of the kite flyer and need to know when to give dheel and when to lapet ...
Chal sarak , ab khisak teri nahi thi vo patang , vo to gai kisi ke sang ...
Dheel de Dheel de de re bhaiya....
or as Suchu will tell me - Til Gur Ghya , Gode Gode Bola, Amche til Gur Sandu Naka, Amchya shi Bhandu naka
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