Makar Sankranti 2026: January 14, Punya Kaal, Uttarayan and Pongal
Makar Sankranti 2026 fell on January 14, 2026 (Wednesday). It marks the Sun entering Capricorn (Makar Rashi) in the Vedic sidereal zodiac: the beginning of Uttarayan and one of the most auspicious solar festivals of the Hindu calendar.
Dates are approximate based on the Hindu panchang for Vikram Samvat 2082-83. Verify exact tithi times with your local panchang.
Makar Sankranti 2026: dates and timing
Makar Sankranti 2026 was on January 14, 2026 (Wednesday). Unlike most Hindu festivals that follow the lunar calendar, Makar Sankranti is a solar festival: it marks the exact moment the Sun enters Capricorn (Makar Rashi) in the sidereal (nirayana) zodiac used in Vedic astrology. This precise solar ingress defines the Punya Kaal, the auspicious window for bathing, charity and prayer.
| Event | Date/Time 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Surya Makar Pravesh (Sun enters Capricorn) | January 14, 2026 | Solar ingress; Makar Sankranti moment |
| Maha Punya Kaal | Approx first 2 hours after Sankranti | Most auspicious window for snan and daan |
| Punya Kaal | Entire day of January 14 | Acceptable for snan, charity and puja |
| Khichdi Sankranti (in some regions) | January 14, 2026 | Alternative name used in UP and Bihar |
| Uttarayan begins | January 14, 2026 | Sun starts its northward journey; auspicious half of year begins |
How Makar Sankranti is celebrated across India
| Region | Name | Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| UP, Bihar | Makar Sankranti / Khichdi | Ganga snan, khichdi daan, til-gur; sunrise dip at Sangam (Prayagraj) |
| Gujarat, Rajasthan | Makar Sankranti / Uttarayan | Kite flying (patang mahotsav); sesame and groundnut chikki; Uttarayan is a public holiday in Gujarat |
| Maharashtra | Makar Sankranti | Til-gur exchange with "Til gul ghya, god god bola"; black clothing tradition |
| Tamil Nadu | Thai Pongal | 4-day harvest festival; boiling of rice in new pot (pongal) outdoors |
| Andhra Pradesh / Telangana | Sankranti | 3-day festival; Bhogi fire, Makar Sankranti, Kanuma; major harvest celebration |
| Punjab | Lohri | The night before (January 13): bonfire, rewdi and popcorn; harvest and winter-end celebration |
| Karnataka | Sankranti | Til-sesame; ellu-bella (sesame-jaggery) exchange; sugarcane |
| West Bengal | Makar Sankranti / Gangasagar Mela | Millions take a dip at Gangasagar (where the Ganga meets the sea in West Bengal) |
Makar Sankranti and Vedic astrology
Makar Sankranti marks the Sun entering Saturn-ruled Capricorn: a significant annual ingress in Jyotish. The Sun is a natural enemy of Saturn, yet the classical texts consider Uttarayan (starting from Sankranti) as the more auspicious half of the year, when the Sun is growing stronger. The Punya Kaal (auspicious period) on Makar Sankranti is considered especially powerful for surya upasana (Sun worship), for giving sesame and blankets to the needy, and for taking a dip in a holy river.
In 2026, the Sun enters Capricorn while Jupiter is in Gemini (moving toward its Cancer exaltation in June 2026). This is a generally positive configuration for spiritual practice on Makar Sankranti.
Frequently asked questions
Makar Sankranti 2026 date kya hai?
Makar Sankranti 2026 January 14, 2026 (Budhvaar) ko hai. Yeh ek solar festival hai jo Surya ke Makar rashi (Capricorn) mein pravesh karne par manaya jaata hai. Is din snan, daan, til-gur ka sevan aur patang udana shubh mana jaata hai. Makar Sankranti ki tithi har saal lagbhag January 14-15 ko hoti hai.
When is Makar Sankranti 2026?
Makar Sankranti 2026 was on January 14, 2026 (Wednesday). It is a solar festival: Makar Sankranti marks the day the Sun enters Capricorn (Makar Rashi) in the sidereal zodiac (used in Vedic astrology). This is one of the few Hindu festivals based on the solar calendar, so it falls on approximately the same Gregorian date every year (January 14 or 15).
Makar Sankranti 2026 ka shubh muhurat kya hai?
Makar Sankranti 2026 ka shubh muhurat Makar Sankranti punya kaal mein hai, jo Surya ke Makar rashi mein pravesh ke samay shuru hota hai. 2026 mein yeh lagbhag January 14 ki subah/dopahar mein hoga. Is period mein Ganga snan, Surya ko arghya, daan aur til-gur ka sevan karna mahatvapoorna hai.
What is Uttarayan and how is it related to Makar Sankranti?
Uttarayan is the period when the Sun begins its northward journey (from the winter solstice onward). Makar Sankranti marks the beginning of Uttarayan in traditional Hindu understanding: the Sun moves from the southern hemisphere toward the north, days get longer and the cold starts to recede. This is why Makar Sankranti is celebrated with kite flying (patang utsav) in Gujarat and Rajasthan, symbolising joy and freedom as winter ends.
Makar Sankranti mein kya khaya jaata hai?
Makar Sankranti ke din khas taur par til (sesame), gur (jaggery) aur khaana khaaya jaata hai: Til-gur ke ladoo, Tilkut (Bihar), Sankranti pongal (South India), Khichdi (UP, Bihar), Undhiyu aur chikki (Gujarat), Sesame brittle. "Til gul ghya, god god bola" (til-gur lo aur meetha bolo) Makar Sankranti par Maharashtra mein kehte hain. Sesame is offered to the Sun because it generates warmth and is associated with Shani (Saturn) who rules Capricorn.
Makar Sankranti aur Pongal mein kya antar hai?
Makar Sankranti aur Pongal same solar event ke alag naam hain. Pongal Tamil Nadu mein manaya jaata hai (January 14-17, 4-din ka festival: Bhogi, Thai Pongal, Mattu Pongal, Kaanum Pongal). Makar Sankranti zyaadatar North aur West India (UP, MP, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Bihar) mein manaya jaata hai. Dono Surya ke Makar rashi pravesh ko celebrate karte hain, bus regional naam aur riti-riwaj alag hain.
Makar Sankranti 2026 Vedic astrology significance?
In Vedic astrology, Makar Sankranti is when the Sun (Surya) enters Capricorn (Makar), the sign ruled by Saturn (Shani). This is called Makara Rashi Sankramana. Since the Sun is an enemy of Saturn, this transition can create some tension in charts with strong Sun-Saturn combinations. However, the solar ingress also marks the beginning of Uttarayan (northward journey of the Sun), which is considered the more auspicious half of the solar year in Vedic tradition. Charity (daan) on this day is multiplied in its effect, particularly donations of sesame, blankets and food.
Want to understand what the Sun in Capricorn means for your chart, or get a 2026 Vedic forecast? A Vyom Vaani astrologer is on WhatsApp.
What do people eat on Makar Sankranti and why?
The most universal Sankranti food is til (sesame seeds) and gur (jaggery), eaten together or in sweet preparations like tilgul, til ladoo, and khichdi. Sesame generates warmth and is considered protective in winter, while jaggery is auspicious and purifying. In Tamil Nadu, the festival is Pongal and the dish is also called Pongal, a sweet rice cooked in milk. In Gujarat, chikkis (peanut-jaggery bars) and undhiyu (winter vegetable curry) are traditional. The food reflects both the season and regional harvests.
Is Makar Sankranti a good day for donations and charity?
Yes, Makar Sankranti is considered one of the most auspicious days in the Hindu calendar for Daan (donation). Classical texts particularly recommend donating til, blankets, and sesame oil to represent warmth and abundance shared with others in winter. The Ganga snan (sacred bath) on this day at pilgrimage sites like Prayagraj, Haridwar, and Gangasagar is considered especially meritorious. The logic is that the Sun's entry into Capricorn marks an upward shift in solar energy, and charitable acts on transition days carry amplified spiritual effect.