ಸಂಕ್ರಾಂತಿ
Makara Sankranti
First festival of the year 2011. Definitely some freshness and a feel of joy!
From my childhood, the only things I have got to know about this festival are:
- It marks the beginning of the transmigration of Sun in his celestial path along northwards direction. - UttarayaNa- The harvest festival known better as "Suggi" in Karnataka, "Pongal" in Tamil Nadu ,"Tilgul" in Maharashtra
- eLLu bella , sakkare acchu shared and exchanged among the households.
- kichuchu haisodu - The cattle is made to cross the pyre.
Is this all this festival has to do with?
My thirst for reading and gaining more facts led me to the path of discovering something I had not thought about earlier. Wonder why this did not strike to me when I was an enthusiastic school kid.
An excerpt from the Wikipedia:
" According to western astronomy the festival SANKRANTI takes place around 21 days after the tropical winter solstice (between December 20 and 23rd) that marks the start of Uttarayana, which means northward journey of the Sun.
The winter solstice marks the beginning of the gradual increase of the duration of the day. The shortest day of the year is around December 21–22, after which the days begin to get longer. The winter Solstice is on December 21 or December 22, when the tropical sun enters Makara rashi. Therefore the date of Uttarayana is December 21. This was the actual date of Makar Sakranti too. But because of the Earth's tilt of 23.45 degrees and the precession of the Equinoxes , Ayanamasha occurs. This has caused Makara Sankranti to slide further over the ages. A thousand years ago, Makar Sankranti was on December 31 and is now on January 14. Five thousand years later, it shall be by the end of February, while in 9000 years it shall come in June"
Curious freaks like me also might get to a state of wow when they read the below facts.
* PuraNas say that this is the day when "Sun visits his son" ( Surya rests in Shani's house who is the Lord of Makar rashi/Zodiac) .Irrespective of the fact they did net get along well,Surya made it a point to visit his son on this day. Hence this auspicious day symbolizes the relationship between father and son.
* It marks the start of the DAY for the Devataas - UttarayaNa /DevaayaNa, The DakshiNayaNa/PitrayaNa is said to be the Night of the Devatas( Gods )
* Bhishma chose this day to leave his mortal coil on this day.(he used "Icha mrityu" boon from his father). It is believed that the person who dies during the UttarayaNa period will become free from rebirth/transmigration.
* Lord Vishnu ended the ever increasing power of the demons[Asuras] by finishing them off and burying their heads under the Mandara Parvata. - Marks the end of negativities and beginning of the era filled with positivity.
* Latin American findings prove that the Mayans celebrated something similar to Sankranti - a Spring festival. The celebration of this auspicious festival dates back to 6000 years.
If you guys know more please do let me know.
I am filled with wholesome zeal and fervor , all ready for the celebrations coming by!
ಹಬ್ಬದ ಹೊಸ್ತಿಲ್ಲಲ್ಲಿ ಈ ಒಂದು ಪುಟ್ಟ ಕವನ ....
ಧನು ಇಂದ ಮಕರಕ್ಕೆ ಜಿಗಿದು
ಸೂರ್ಯ ತನ್ನ ಪಥವ ಬದಲಾಯಿಸಿದನು
ದಕ್ಷಿಣಾಯಣ ಮುಗಿದು
ಉತ್ತರಾಯಣ ಶುರು ಆಯಿತು
ಚಳಿಯು ಮಾಸಿತು
ಹೊಸ ಬೆಳೆ ಬಂದಿತು
ಸುಗ್ಗಿಯು ಬಂತು
ಹರುಷವ ತಂತು
ಎಳ್ಳು ಬೆಲ್ಲ ತಿಂದು
ಒಳ್ಳೆ ಮಾತಾ ನುಡಿದು
ಹೊಸ ಬಟ್ಟೆ ತೊಟ್ಟು
ಸಂತಸದಿ ಕುಣಿದು
ಬನ್ನಿ ನಲಿಯೋಣ ನಲಿದಾಡೋಣ
ಈ ಸಂಕ್ರಾಂತಿಯಂದು
- ಅಶ್ವಿನಿ
First festival of the year 2011. Definitely some freshness and a feel of joy!
From my childhood, the only things I have got to know about this festival are:
- It marks the beginning of the transmigration of Sun in his celestial path along northwards direction. - UttarayaNa- The harvest festival known better as "Suggi" in Karnataka, "Pongal" in Tamil Nadu ,"Tilgul" in Maharashtra
- eLLu bella , sakkare acchu shared and exchanged among the households.
- kichuchu haisodu - The cattle is made to cross the pyre.
Is this all this festival has to do with?
My thirst for reading and gaining more facts led me to the path of discovering something I had not thought about earlier. Wonder why this did not strike to me when I was an enthusiastic school kid.
An excerpt from the Wikipedia:
" According to western astronomy the festival SANKRANTI takes place around 21 days after the tropical winter solstice (between December 20 and 23rd) that marks the start of Uttarayana, which means northward journey of the Sun.
The winter solstice marks the beginning of the gradual increase of the duration of the day. The shortest day of the year is around December 21–22, after which the days begin to get longer. The winter Solstice is on December 21 or December 22, when the tropical sun enters Makara rashi. Therefore the date of Uttarayana is December 21. This was the actual date of Makar Sakranti too. But because of the Earth's tilt of 23.45 degrees and the precession of the Equinoxes , Ayanamasha occurs. This has caused Makara Sankranti to slide further over the ages. A thousand years ago, Makar Sankranti was on December 31 and is now on January 14. Five thousand years later, it shall be by the end of February, while in 9000 years it shall come in June"
Curious freaks like me also might get to a state of wow when they read the below facts.
* PuraNas say that this is the day when "Sun visits his son" ( Surya rests in Shani's house who is the Lord of Makar rashi/Zodiac) .Irrespective of the fact they did net get along well,Surya made it a point to visit his son on this day. Hence this auspicious day symbolizes the relationship between father and son.
* It marks the start of the DAY for the Devataas - UttarayaNa /DevaayaNa, The DakshiNayaNa/PitrayaNa is said to be the Night of the Devatas( Gods )
* Bhishma chose this day to leave his mortal coil on this day.(he used "Icha mrityu" boon from his father). It is believed that the person who dies during the UttarayaNa period will become free from rebirth/transmigration.
* Lord Vishnu ended the ever increasing power of the demons[Asuras] by finishing them off and burying their heads under the Mandara Parvata. - Marks the end of negativities and beginning of the era filled with positivity.
* Latin American findings prove that the Mayans celebrated something similar to Sankranti - a Spring festival. The celebration of this auspicious festival dates back to 6000 years.
If you guys know more please do let me know.
I am filled with wholesome zeal and fervor , all ready for the celebrations coming by!
ಹಬ್ಬದ ಹೊಸ್ತಿಲ್ಲಲ್ಲಿ ಈ ಒಂದು ಪುಟ್ಟ ಕವನ ....
ಧನು ಇಂದ ಮಕರಕ್ಕೆ ಜಿಗಿದು
ಸೂರ್ಯ ತನ್ನ ಪಥವ ಬದಲಾಯಿಸಿದನು
ದಕ್ಷಿಣಾಯಣ ಮುಗಿದು
ಉತ್ತರಾಯಣ ಶುರು ಆಯಿತು
ಚಳಿಯು ಮಾಸಿತು
ಹೊಸ ಬೆಳೆ ಬಂದಿತು
ಸುಗ್ಗಿಯು ಬಂತು
ಹರುಷವ ತಂತು
ಎಳ್ಳು ಬೆಲ್ಲ ತಿಂದು
ಒಳ್ಳೆ ಮಾತಾ ನುಡಿದು
ಹೊಸ ಬಟ್ಟೆ ತೊಟ್ಟು
ಸಂತಸದಿ ಕುಣಿದು
ಬನ್ನಿ ನಲಿಯೋಣ ನಲಿದಾಡೋಣ
ಈ ಸಂಕ್ರಾಂತಿಯಂದು
- ಅಶ್ವಿನಿ
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