MAKARA SHANKRANTI

SALUTATIONS and adorations to the Supreme Lord, the primordial power that divided
the year into the four seasons. Salutations to Surya, the Sun-God, who on this great day embarks on
his northward journey.
The Sanskrit term “Shankramana” means “to begin to move”. The day on which the sun
begins to move northwards is called Makara Shankranti. It usually falls in the middle of January.
Among the Tamilians in South India this festival is called the Pongal.
To many people, especially the Tamilians, Makara Shankranti ushers in the New Year. The
corn that is newly-harvested is cooked for the first time on that day. Joyous festivities mark the
celebration in every home. Servants, farmers and the poor are fed and clothed and given presents of
money. On the next day, the cow, which is regarded as the symbol of the Holy Mother, is
worshipped. Then there is the feeding of birds and animals.
In this manner the devotee’s heart expands slowly during the course of the celebrations, first
embracing with its long arms of love the entire household and neighbours, then the servants and the
poor, then the cow, and then all other living creatures. Without even being aware of it, one develops
the heart and expands it to such proportions that the whole universe finds a place in it.
As Shankranti is also the beginning of the month, Brahmins offer oblations to departed
ancestors. Thus, all the great sacrifices enjoined upon man find their due place in this grand
celebration. The worship of the Cosmic Form of the Lord is so well introduced into this, that every
man and woman in India is delightfully led to partake of it without even being aware of it.
To the spiritual aspirants this day has a special significance. The six-month period during
which the sun travels northwards is highly favourable to them in their march towards the goal of
life. It is as though they are flowing easily with the current towards the Lord. Paramahamsa
Sannyasins roam about freely during this period, dispelling gloom from the hearts of all. The Devas
and Rishis rejoice at the advent of the new season, and readily come to the aid of the aspirant.
The great Bhishma, the grandfather of the Pandavas, was fatally wounded during the war of
the Mahabharata, waited on his deathbed of nails for the onset of this season before finally
departing from the earth-plane. Let us on this great day pay our homage to him and strive to become
men of firm resolve ourselves!
As already mentioned, this is the Pongal festival in South India. It is closely connected with
agriculture. To the agriculturalist, it is a day of triumph. He would have by then brought home the
fruits of his patient toil. Symbolically, the first harvest is offered to the Almighty—and that is
Pongal. To toil was his task, his duty, but the fruit is now offered to Him—that is the spirit of Karma
Yoga.
The master is not allowed to grab all the harvest for himself either. Pongal is the festival
during which the landlord distributes food, clothes and money among the labourers who work for
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MAKARA SHANKRANTI
him. What a noble act!—It is an ideal you should constantly keep before you, not only
ceremoniously on the Pongal day, but at all times.
Be charitable. Be generous. Treat your servants as your bosom-friends and brother workers.
This is the keynote of the Pongal festival. You will then earn their loyalty and enduring love.
The day prior to the Makara Shankranti is called the Bhogi festival. On this day, old,
worn-out and dirty things are discarded and burnt. Homes are cleaned and white-washed. Even the
roads are swept clean and lovely designs are drawn with rice-flour. These practices have their own
significance from the point of view of health. But, here I remind you that it will not do to attend to
these external things alone. Cleaning the mind of its old dirty habits of thought and feeling is more
urgently needed. Burn them up, with a wise and firm resolve to tread the path of truth, love and
purity from this holy day onwards. This is the significance of Pongal in the life of the spiritual
aspirant.
If you do this, then the Makara Shankranti has a special significance for you. The sun,
symbolising wisdom, divine knowledge and spiritual light, which receded from you when you
revelled in the darkness of ignorance, delusion and sensuality, now joyously turns on its northward
course and moves towards you to shed its light and warmth in greater abundance, and to infuse into
you more life and energy.
In fact, the sun itself symbolises all that the Pongal festival stands for. The message of the
sun is the message of light, the message of unity, of impartiality, of true selflessness, of the
perfection of the elements of Karma Yoga. The sun shines on all equally. It is the true benefactor of
all beings. Without the sun, life would perish on earth. It is extremely regular and punctual in its
duties, and never claims a reward or craves for recognition. If you imbibe these virtues of the sun,
what doubt is there that you will shine with equal divine lustre!
He who dwells in the sun, whom the sun does not know, whose body the sun is, and by
whose power the sun shines—He is the Supreme Self, the Indweller, the immortal Essence. Tat
Twam Asi—“That thou art”. Realise this and be free here and now on this holy Pongal or Makara
Shankranti day. This is my humble Pongal prayer to you all.
On the Shankranti day, sweets, puddings and sweet rice are prepared in every home,
especially in South India. The pot in which the rice is cooked is beautifully adorned with tumeric
leaves and roots, the symbols of auspiciousness. The cooking is done by the women of the
household with great faith and devotion, feeling from the bottom of their hearts that it is an offering
unto the Lord. When the milk in which the rice is being cooked boils over, the ladies and the
children assemble round the pot and shout “Pongalo Pongal!” with great joy and devotion. Special
prayers are offered in temples and houses. Then the people of the household gather together and
partake of the offerings in an atmosphere of love and festivity.
There is family re-union in all homes. Brothers renew their contacts with their married
sisters by giving them presents.
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HINDU FASTS & FESTIVALS
The farmer is lovingly greeted by the landlord and is given presents of grain, clothes and
money.
On the next day, the herds of cows are adorned beautifully, fed and worshipped. In some
villages the youth demonstrate their valour by taking “the bull by the horn” (and often win their
brides thereby!). It is a great day for the cattle.
On the same day, young girls prepare various special dishes—sweet rice, sour rice, rice with
coconut—and take them to the bank of a river or tank. They lay some leaves on the ground and
place on them balls of the various preparations for the fish, birds, and other creatures. It is an
extremely colourful ceremony. The crows come down in large numbers and partake of the food. All
the time a valuable lesson is driven into our minds—“Share what you have with all”. The crow will
call others before beginning to eat.
Both these days, which are family re-union days, are regarded as being inauspicious for
travel. This is to prevent us from going away from home on those days.
When you celebrate the Shankranti or Pongal in this manner, your sense of value changes.
You begin to understand that your real wealth is the goodwill and friendship of your relatives,
friends, neighbours and servants; that your wealth is the land on which your food grows, the cattle
which help you in agriculture, and the cow which gives you milk. You begin to have greater love
and respect for them and for all living beings—the crows, the fish and all other creatures.
In Maharashtra and in North India, spiritual aspirants attach much importance to Makara
Shankranti. It is the season chosen by the Guru for bestowing his Grace on the disciple. In the
South, too, it should be noted that it was about this time that Mahadeva favoured several of the
Rishis by blessing them with His beatific vision.