India+-+Makar+Sankranti





Kite Flying Day is celebrated every year in India on January 14 with a great deal of excitement. This day is called by different names, but two of the most common are __Makar Sankranti__ and __Uttarayan__. Children and adults all stay home together and celebrate the ending of winter. An important part of this festival is flying kites.
 * __ Kite Flying Day in India __**

Children and adults both fly kites and have fun with family and friends on this day. In India houses have a flat terrace, which is where most people fly their kites. If not they fly it in an open ground. The kite is tied with a thin, strong string and the sting is attached to a big roll of strings which is held with the hands so more string can be released or pulled in. A game people play is to cut others’ kite and see how many they can cut by the end of the day. They get the thread intertwined with one another and pull on the thread until one of the strings breaks.



Kite making and kite flying by Students of Kendriya Vidyalaya ,Fort William,Kolkata,India by Teacher Mrs.Pratima Nayak January ,2014


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(This slideshow shows students from Choithram International School making kites and enjoying sweets to celebrate Makar Sankranti on January 14, 2010)

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 Though the most important thing that people all over India do, is fly kites, every state has its own way of celebration. Throughout India, this festival is associated with harvesting. People pray for good and healthy crops in the next season. Cows, an integral part of agriculture are worshiped and bathed.

Another aspect of this celebration is “Daan” or ‘charity’. The charity does not merely mean donating money, but whatever he or she is able to give.

 Another important aspect of the celebration is the food. On this day sweets are made and shared with friends and family members. In most of India, Til Gul dominates the day. It is a sweet made with Til, which is sesame seeds, and Gul which is jaggery. The symbolic meaning of this sweet is ‘to stick together even in the toughest times.’ Also it is said that from a health point of view these sweets are good too. The mixture of til, gul and ghee produces internal heat, which is good in the winter.



The sky is filled with kites of all colors and shapes and just watching them is fun too. This day is a full of fun and celebration wherever you go in India. //- Written by Siddhi Desai from J. P. Stevens High School//

मकर संक्रान्ति हिंदुओं के लिए सबसे ज्यादा शुभ अवसरों में से एक है| यह त्यौहार देश के सभी भागों में महान भक्ति, उत्साह और उल्लास के साथ मनाया जाता हैं | यह एक किसानी का त्यौहार है| मकर संक्रांति के दिन सूर्य भगवान् का उत्तरी गोलार्द्ध में प्रवेश होता हैं | हिन्दुओं के लिए यह उत्सव सूर्य ज्ञान ओर अध्यात्मिक प्रकाश के लिए खड़ा होता हैं| यह त्यौहार भारत के विभिन्न जगह में अलग अलग नामों से जाना जाता हैं| इस दिन लोग पूजा करते हैं| तिल ओर चावल इस त्यौहार के दो महत्वपूर्ण तत्त्व हैं | महिलाओं तिल ओर गुड़ के लड्डू बनाकर अपने परिवार ओर दोस्तों मैं बाँटते हैं| गुजरात ओर राजस्थान में लोग पतंग भी उड़ाते हैं|हमने हमारी पाठ्शाला में 14जनव्ररी को यह त्योहार तिल और मुरमुरे के लड्डू खाकर मनाया। हमने पतंग भी बनाये। सबसे ज्यादा मजा तो तब आया जब हमने जे.पी.स्टीवंस के मैदान पर जाकर पतंग उडाने का मजा लिया। हमे भारत की बहुत याद आयी। हमने फोटो भी निकाले हैं,बाद में हम हिन्दी फोरम पर लगायेंगें। //- Written in Hindi by Shrestha Basu from J. P. Stevens High School//