Makar Sankranti 2026 falls on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, when the sun enters the zodiac sign of Makara (Capricorn) at the Sankranti moment of 3:13 PM IST. Makar Sankranti Surya Puja 2026 is the most spiritually powerful festival of the new year because it marks the beginning of Uttarayan, the six-month auspicious period in the Hindu solar calendar. Devotees wake up at Brahma Muhurat, take a holy dip in the Ganga or any sacred river, offer Surya Arghya to the rising sun and distribute til (sesame), gur (jaggery) and warm clothes as Makar Sankranti charity. For homes that want to anchor the festival in a daily ritual, a hand-cast brass Surya idol on a rath (chariot) is the most evocative choice. Browse our brass Surya collection at aagambrass.com/catalog.php and prepare for the festival with intention.
Unlike most Hindu festivals that follow the lunar calendar, Makar Sankranti follows the solar cycle, which is why it falls on the same Gregorian date (January 14, or January 15 in a leap year) every year. The festival is celebrated under dozens of regional names — Uttarayan in Gujarat, Khichdi in Bihar, Magh Bihu in Assam, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Maghi in Punjab and Haryana, and Shishur Senkrath in Kashmir — but the core message is the same: gratitude to the sun, sharing of the harvest, and the spiritual beginning of brighter days. For an overview of related North Indian harvest customs, see the Deshna Wholesale blog.
Auspicious Timings of Makar Sankranti 2026
The most important timing of Makar Sankranti 2026 is the Punya Kaal, which begins at the Sankranti moment of 3:13 PM and continues until sunset. The Maha Punya Kaal is from 3:13 PM to 4:58 PM, a one-hour-and-forty-five-minute window that is considered the most sacred for holy bathing, Surya Arghya, charity and mantra japa. The Abhijit Muhurat on January 14, 2026 is from 12:10 PM to 12:53 PM, an additional auspicious window that is excellent for starting rituals and charitable acts.
Because Ekadashi falls on January 14, 2026, devotees who avoid rice on Ekadashi can perform their khichdi and til charity after 5:52 PM on the same day, or shift the Sankranti rituals to the morning of January 15, 2026. Many scholars, including the Dharm Sindhu and Nirnaya Sindhu, hold that when the Sankranti moment is before sunset, the festival must be observed on the same day, making January 14 the official date for Surya Puja and Sankranti charity.
The Mythology Behind Makar Sankranti and Surya Worship
According to the Surya Siddhanta and several Puranas, the sun god Surya visits his son Shani (Saturn) on this day. Shani is the lord of Makara rashi, and Surya's northward journey to meet his son symbolises the eternal reconciliation of father and son, light and discipline. The festival also commemorates the legendary Bhishma of the Mahabharata, who chose to leave his body on the Uttarayan day, declaring it the holiest moment to attain moksha.
For devotees of Surya, the day is also the annual Surya Puja, when the sun is bathed in arghya (water mixed with red flowers, akshat and a copper coin), the Surya mantra is chanted, and offerings of wheat, jaggery and sesame are made. The Surya Purana mentions that worshipping Surya on Makar Sankranti removes the sins of the previous year and grants health, longevity and clarity of mind. Many devotees observe a Makar Sankranti vrat on this day and recite the Aditya Hridayam at sunrise for spiritual protection.
Traditional Makar Sankranti Til Ladoo, Khichdi and Charity
The Makar Sankranti til ladoo jaggery charity tradition is rooted in the Ayurvedic belief that sesame and jaggery generate internal warmth, which is essential to balance the cold Vata dosha of January. On the morning of Makar Sankranti, every Indian kitchen prepares a fresh batch of:
- Til Ladoo – sesame and jaggery balls
- Til ki Gajak – sesame brittle
- Khichdi – rice and lentil comfort meal (eaten on Khichdi Parv in Bihar and UP)
- Puran Poli – sweet flatbread (Maharashtra and Karnataka)
- Undhiyu – mixed vegetable stew (Gujarat)
- Sakkarai Pongal – sweet rice pudding (Tamil Nadu, on Pongal day)
Along with these sweets, families also distribute sesame seeds, jaggery, warm blankets, woollens and til oil to the poor and to the elderly. According to the Garuda Purana, charity on Makar Sankranti multiplies a hundredfold, and donations of black sesame are considered especially meritorious. The act of giving dakshine to a family priest, a teacher or a temple priest is also a key part of the day's charity.
How to Perform Surya Arghya at Home
The Surya Arghya ritual on Makar Sankranti 2026 is performed at sunrise. Stand facing east, place a brass Surya idol (or a Surya Yantra) on a small wooden plank, light a brass diya with sesame oil, and offer water mixed with red flowers, a few grains of rice and a copper coin. The mantra "Om Hram Hreem Hraum Sah Suryaya Namah" is chanted 108 times, and the Aditya Hridayam is recited if the devotee is initiated into Surya mantra. After the arghya, distribute the water into the roots of a Tulsi plant and the brass kalash. A brass Surya rath idol is a beautiful centrepiece for this ritual and is preserved in the home puja room for daily Surya Vandana.
Makar Sankranti Kite Flying Tradition and Regional Rituals
The Makar Sankranti kite flying festival India tradition is most visible in Gujarat, where the festival is called Uttarayan and the sky over Ahmedabad and Surat is covered with kites for two full days. Kite flying on this day symbolises the soaring of human consciousness towards higher goals, and the cry of "Kai Po Che!" (I've cut it!) is shouted when one kite cuts another's string. The kite festival is accompanied by undhiyu, jalebi, chikki and a special sesame brittle called tal na laddu.
In Maharashtra, the festival is celebrated as Makar Sankranti with the exchange of til-gul (sesame and jaggery) and the greeting "Til-gul ghya, god god bola" (accept these til-gul and speak sweetly). In Bengal, it is Paush Sankranti and devotees take a holy dip in the Ganga at Gangasagar, considered the most sacred Makar Sankranti bathing in eastern India. In Tamil Nadu, the day coincides with Thai Pongal, a four-day harvest festival dedicated to the Sun God.
Brass Surya Idols, Rath Idols and Deshna Wholesale
A brass Surya idol is one of the most powerful additions to a home mandir because Surya is invoked daily in the Sandhya Vandana. The most popular forms are the brass Surya rath (chariot) in which Surya stands on a rath drawn by seven horses representing the seven colours of the sun's rays, and the brass Surya Arghya thali used on Makar Sankranti morning. Deshna Wholesale supplies a curated range of brass Surya idols in sizes from 4 inches to 18 inches, hand-cast by traditional artisans of the Khatauli brass belt in Uttar Pradesh. For wholesale, retail and export enquiries, browse the catalog at aagambrass.com/catalog.php or contact the team at Deshna Wholesale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When is Makar Sankranti 2026 and what is the Sankranti moment?
A: Makar Sankranti 2026 is on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. The Sankranti moment (sun entering Capricorn) occurs at 3:13 PM IST, and the Punya Kaal extends from 3:13 PM to 5:45 PM. The Maha Punya Kaal is from 3:13 PM to 4:58 PM.
Q: Why is Makar Sankranti celebrated with til and jaggery?
A: Til (sesame) and gur (jaggery) generate internal warmth to balance the cold Vata dosha of January, and they symbolise friendship and sweet speech. The Maharashtrian greeting "Til-gul ghya, god god bola" means "accept sesame-jaggery and speak sweetly".
Q: What is the difference between Makar Sankranti and Pongal?
A: Makar Sankranti is the pan-Indian solar festival on January 14, while Pongal is the Tamil four-day harvest festival beginning on the same day, ending on January 17. Pongal has unique rituals like Bhogi, Thai Pongal, Mattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal.
Q: What is the best time for Surya Arghya on Makar Sankranti?
A: The most sacred time for Surya Arghya is during the Punya Kaal (3:13 PM to 5:45 PM on January 14, 2026), or at sunrise during the Brahma Muhurat (5:27 AM to 6:21 AM). Many devotees also offer arghya at the moment of sunrise on January 15.
Q: Which charities are considered most meritorious on Makar Sankranti?
A: Donating black sesame, jaggery, warm blankets, woollens, ghee and til oil to the poor is considered highly meritorious. Feeding cows, donating to gausalas, and gifting a brass Surya idol to a temple are also among the most auspicious acts of the day.
Conclusion: Makar Sankranti 2026 is a single-day festival packed with deep meaning — Uttarayan, Surya Puja, til-gul charity, kite flying, holy bathing and the spiritual beginning of longer days. Whether you celebrate with khichdi in Patna, Pongal in Chennai, Uttarayan in Ahmedabad or Surya Arghya on the ghats of Varanasi, the festival connects every Indian to the timeless gratitude we owe to the sun god and the harvest.
For a brass Surya rath, brass Arghya thali or a complete brass puja set for Makar Sankranti 2026, visit aagambrass.com/catalog.php or place your order directly on WhatsApp +91 93586 85800. May the blessings of Surya Dev light your year ahead.