Makara Sankranti, Uttarayana

14 January 2027 · Makara Sankranti marks the sun's northward journey (Uttarayana) as it enters the zodiac sign of Capricorn — one of the most auspicious solar transitions in the Hindu calendar, celebrated with sacred baths, harvest offerings, and communal joy. In Odisha, the festival centres on Makara Chaula — the offering of freshly harvested uncooked rice, coconut, banana, sugarcane, and sweet pitha to the deity, giving thanks for the earth's abundance. At the Puri Jagannatha Temple, the deities receive the Makara Chaula Bhoga in an elaborate first-fruit ceremony, and devotees await the legendary Makara Tara — a celestial light on the eastern horizon — with wonder and devotion.