Diverse ways to celebrate Sankranti, Lohri and Pongal, but sentiment is the same

NAGPUR: It’s the time of the year when one festival is celebrated by all communities in their own peculiar ways. Makar Sankranti is when the sun moves towards the north, signalling an auspicious period. Yesterday, Punjabis in the city observed Lohri with fervour, while today Maharashtrians and south Indians will celebrate sankranti adhering to ritualistic norms. While traditions may differ for each family, several rituals observed by people are similar.
The day is commemorated with preparation of sweet dishes at homes.Sujata Kothari, a Tamil, says that a preparation of Sakkara pongal, a sweet rice preparation made of jaggery, is common among Tamils to mark the beginning of calendar. “The first food should be good for stomach and should give heat in the winter. Dal and jiggery used in pongal does that,” she said, adding that bhogi is the first batch of agricultural produce offered to God.
For Telugu, it’s the Bhogi festival today, where Burelu, dumplings made of chana dal and jaggery is a traditional Andhra dish prepared for the occasion, apart from pongal. Vipin Sood, a Punjabi, says kheer chawal is a must at his household every Lohri. “Sarson Ka saag is also a dish we have each year this time. This is the season where heavy food items are easily digested, and such food items help generate heat in the body,” he says. Similarly, til gud chikki, a preparation of sesame seeds and jaggery, has become synonymous to Makar Sankranti not just for Maharashtrians, but all communities.
When it comes to customs, these aren’t very different either. “We make rangolis of chariot,” says Pushpa Anand, a Tamil. CV Ramakrishna, an Andhraite, shares that his family also makes rangolis, and sit around a bonfire. Bonfire is a big part of Lohri too. ‘Revdi’, ‘makhaana’, peanuts and popcorn are offered to the fire. “For Punjabis, a newly married couple moves around the bonfire, followed by others. ‘Sundar Mundariye’ is a traditional Lohri song we sing every year, and we sing and dance around the bonfire,” says Stuti Pincha, a Punjabi. For Telugus, the bonfire resembles a pyre where they attempt to burn all unwanted things and desires,” says Anand.
Tamils and Maharashtrians celebrate Haldi Kumkum on similar lines. “For Tamils, it is of prime importance for a mother to send money to her daughter during this time. We also give betel nut, kanjeevaram sari, betel leaves, turmeric, mirror, comb, kajal, and other things of use to a married woman. For pregnant ladies, we give black saris,” adds Anand. Meenakshi Deopujari, a Maharashtrian, says, “We observe ‘sugdyachi vaan’ where several items like bindi, bangles and other things are exchanged among married women in earthen pots. For Keralites, sankranti is the culmination of eeklong celebrations of lord Ayyapa’s special day, informs Kartika nair, a Keralite, adding, “we wear traditional saris, organize a feast, and have lamps lit all around the temple, along with taking part in traditional pujas.”