Puri/Bhubaneswar: Free from the Covid-19 curbs that restricted activities for two years, people across Odisha celebrated the Makar Sankranti on Saturday with traditional fervour and gaiety.
Makar Sankranti, also known as Uttarayan, is a special day when the sun travels from south to north. As per the Hindu scriptures, this day is auspicious because the sun traverses into the Capricorn (Makar raashi) zodiac sign, which is controlled by Saturn. On this occasion, people bathe in sacred rivers and visit temples to offer prayers.
While the Ganga Sargar Mela at Kapil Muni ashram commences on Makar Sankranti, special rituals are held in Puri’s Jagannath Temple. Devotees offer ‘Makar Chaula,’ a special edible item prepared with new raw rice, to Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and the four Digapalas.
On this day, hundreds of devotees visit the Jagannath Temple in Puri for ‘darshan’ of the deities in ‘Makar Besha’ when the deities are adorned with garlands of colourful flowers and holy basils.
Since the morning, people also thronged the hot spring at Atri in Khordha district, and Chandrabhaga in Konark to mark the day. People also visited Konark to worship the Sun, which moves from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere on Makar Sankranti. Traditionally, devotees take a holy dip in the sea at Chandrabhaga and then offer their prayers to the Sun.
Another ritual observed on this auspicious day is kite flying and hundreds of across the state took part in the festivities with great enthusiasm. Moreover, Makar Sankranti is observed as the harvest festival and people make various types of sweet dishes with new raw rice.
