In different regions of India, Makar Sankranti is observed with unique traditions and names
Mrinal Chatterjee
Makar Sankranti, celebrated annually in January, symbolises the end of winter and the onset of warmer days, as the Sun begins its northward journey, known as Uttarayan. It marks the transition of the Sun into the zodiac sign Capricorn (Makara) as per the Hindu calendar.
Makar Sankranti holds great significance in Indian culture, being a time celebration of the harvest. Farmers rejoice as their hard work bears fruit, bringing prosperity to their homes. In different regions of India, Makar Sankranti is observed with unique traditions and names—Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Lohri in Punjab, Magh Bihu in Assam, Makar in Odisha and Uttarayan in Gujarat.
People prepare and share delicacies made from sesame seeds (til) and jaggery (gur), symbolizing unity and sweetness in relationships. The festival is also marked by rituals such as taking holy dips in rivers like the Ganga, Yamuna, or Godavari, believed to cleanse sins.
Kite flying is a prominent activity during this festival, especially in Gujarat and Rajasthan, where the skies come alive with vibrant kites.
Surya Sen
On 12 January in 1934 Surya Sen, popularly known as Master Da was martyred. He was influential in the independence movement against British rule in India and is best known for leading the 1930 Chittagong armoury raid. Sen was a school teacher by profession and was. He was apprehended by the British police and after a brief trail he was hanged. He was 40 then.
In a Hindi film ‘Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey’ was made on his life starring Abhishek Bachhan and Deepika Padukone.
Based on the book ‘Do and Die: The Chittagong Uprising 1930-1934’ by Manini Chatterjee, the film documents a chapter from Indian history and showcases the exploits of real-life heroes. Led by Surjya Sen, a school teacher, the group of revolutionaries, comprised mainly by teenagers, unleashes a subterranean raid against the British occupation in Chittagong (now in Bangladesh). On April 18, 1930, they simultaneously attacked several British outposts and the armoury in Chittagong, a port city which was a part of the Bengal presidency (now Bangladesh). This audacious act shook the very foundations of British authority in the region.
In response, the British authorities labelled him a fugitive and placed a substantial bounty of 10,000 rupees on his head. Tragically, Surya Sen’s trust in a friend, Netra Sen, led to his ultimate betrayal. Netra Sen initially provided him refuge but later disclosed his whereabouts to the authorities.
His last letter was written to his friends and said: “Death is knocking at my door. My mind is flying away towards eternity. At such a pleasant, at such a grave, at such a solemn moment, what shall I leave behind you? Only one thing that is my dream, a golden dream – the dream of free India”.
The Kite Fliers
Come winter, and the sky is dotted with kites of many colours and shapes. Kite flying is a part of festivals like Makar Sankranti, and Viswakarma Puja (in Bengal). Kite flying festivals are organised in many parts of India. Though it has its problems (the manja-thread used in kite flying play is a menace) and detractors- kite flying is a part of India’s popular culture.
Kite flying is widely believed to have been invented in China. The earliest written account of kite flying, from 206 BC, mentions that Heuin Tsang had flown a kite to overawe the army of Liu Pang. Kites are believed to have come to India with Buddhist monks from China through the Silk route.
The earliest written accounts of the kite in ancient Indian literature can be found in the poetry of the thirteenth-century Marathi saint and poet, Namadeva. In his poems or gathas, he called it a gudi, and there is a mention that the kites were made from kaagad (paper). Written accounts of kites also exist in the songs and poems of sixteenth-century Marathi poets such as Dasopant and Ekanatha, both of whom call it vavadi. Along with poets from Western India, there are written accounts of the kite from the Awadh region in the Satsai of the Hindi poet Bihari.
There have been many songs on kite flying in films in different languages in India.
Rice and Wheat
More Indians prefer rice than ‘atta’, as per a recent survey. Some like me eat both every single day. In Eastern, Southern, North Eastern and Himalayan States like Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand people prefer rice. In Northern and Western States people prefer wheat. Rice and wheat are essential grains for India’s food security and economic growth. India ranks fourth in the production of wheat and second in the production of rice in the world.
Both rice and wheat have been grown in India from ancient times.
Several wild cereals, including rice, grew in the Vindhyan Hills, and rice cultivation, at sites such as Chopani-Mando and Mahagara, may have been underway as early as 7000 BC. Some researchers believe rice originated from Odisha. Rice appeared in the Ganges valley regions of northern India as early as 4530 BC.
Traces of wheat cultivation has been found in Bihar dating back to 3500 BC.
Tailpiece: Delhi Pollution
Me and my friend land at Delhi airport.
Me: Kuch bhi keh rahe hai log. Kidhar hai itna smog Delhi me! (People say anything! Where is smog in Delhi?)
Friend: Bhai kidhar dekh ke baat kar raha hai? Me peeche khada hu. (Whom are you talking to? I am behind you.)
(The author is Regional Director Indian Institute of Mass Communication, IIMC Dhenkanal. Views expressed are personal.)
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