Makarsankranti & Rathsaptami

As new year bingins we celebrate numerous occasions and celebrations like Makar sankranti, Vasant panchmi and Rathsaptami.

Makarsankranti is a holi transition of the Sun in the zodiac Makar (caprocorn). It is celebrated on 14 th or 15th january.

Makara Sankranti identifies a period of enlightenment, peace, prosperity and happiness followed by a period of darkness, ignorance and viciousness with immense sorrow. The six months of northern movement of the sun is followed by six months of southern movement.

In Maharashtra the Makara Sankranti celebrations starts from this auspicious day and celebrated till Rathsaptami which is the 7 th day of Magh. It is celebrated as birthday of the god Sun.

On the day of Makarsankranti People exchange Til-Gul Laadoo (sweet balls made from sesame seeds and jaggery and ghee) and multicoloured Halwa (sasame coated in sugar syrup). While exchanging til-gul as a token of good will; good wishes are exchanged.  People greet each other with the words " til-gul ghyaa, aani goad-goad bolaa" meaning ‘Accept this til-gul (sweet) and speak sweet / soft words’.

This custom has spiritual, social and health related importance.

This festival is celebrated when winter is in all it's glory. According to Ayurveda Makarsankranti falls in Shishir ritu (winter). During winter the people are strong, their digestive fire becomes powerful, because it gets obstructed from flowing outward due to external cold. Like fuel consumes the things that it comes into contact, digestive fire may digest body tissues cause emaciation of tissues if proper fuel (food) is not provided.

At the same time there is severe cold (sheetatva) and extreme dryness (rukshatva) in the atmosphere. Hence Vata dosha which has similar properties starts accumulating in the body during this season.

Hence food which are of opposite qualities should be consumed regularly in extreme cold season. One should consume heavy (guru), snigdha (unctous), ushna (hot) and nutritious(balya) food in nature which pacifies vata dosha and increases strength of the body.

Laddus made of " til = sesame" ( which have snigdha, ushna and guru properties) and "guda = jaggery" ( madhur, snigdha and ushna properties) is perfect a combination to pacify vata dosha. They should be consumed not only on the day of Makar sankranti but regularly through out the Shishir ritu ( extreme colds).

Every one should resort to Abhaynga with til tel (oil massage) which have Vata balancing properties through out the winter season.
The importance of sesame seeds is it keeps body warm and also provide good quantity of oil, which is needed as winter dried up the moist from body.

One more underlying thought in the exchange of til-gud is to forget the past ill-feelings and hostilities and resolve to speak sweetly and remain friendly. These warm greetings help  to alleviates dryness in relations & society and enhances warmth in relationship.

The significance of wearing black on Makarsankranti is that Sankranti comes at the peak of the winter season and black colour retains and absorbs heat, helping keep warm.

In Maharashtra this festival ends with worship of lord Surya on the day of Rathsaptami.

Rathasapthami begins with a tirthsnan (purification bathing in a river or sea) by holding several Arka(Calotropis Gigantea) leaves on head while bathing and chanting a verse to obtain blessing from the lord Surya ( the Sun) for rest of the year. Argyam (water held in the palms) is offered to the Sun God on this day while chanting hymns are performed to the Sun God. Doesn't it help devoties to spend more time in sunlight?

In ayurveda Arka patra or calotropis leaves are commonly used to treat vata disorders, to alleviate pain which is the main symptom of vata disorder.

According to Ayurveda asthi dhatu
(bone) is the one of the major seat of vata dosha. Do I need to explain the importance of "sun light" & "vitamin D" and it's role in formation of bone and in depotsition of calcium in bones??