Festivals of Sankranti: Lohri and Makar Sankranti Explained

Festival	Description	Relation to Sankranti	Significance	Celebration	Difference from Makar Sankranti
Lohri	Lohri is a popular winter folk festival celebrated primarily by Sikhs and Hindus from the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. The festival marks the end of winter and is traditionally observed on the 13th of January.	Lohri is closely linked to Makar Sankranti as it is celebrated just a day before Sankranti. Both festivals herald the transition of the sun into the zodiac sign of Makara (Capricorn), which signifies the arrival of longer days.	Lohri signifies the harvest of the Rabi crops and is a celebration of fertility and the joy of life. It is also associated with the folklore of Dulla Bhatti, a Robin Hood-like figure from Punjab who helped the poor and fought for their rights.	Celebrations include lighting a bonfire, singing and dancing around it, and sharing festive foods like gajak, sarson da saag with makki di roti, and puffed rice. People throw sesame seeds, jaggery, and rewaris into the flames as an offering to the fire god.	While Lohri is more regionally specific to Punjab and is celebrated with a bonfire, Makar Sankranti is a pan-Indian festival known by various names in different parts of the country. Makar Sankranti involves kite flying, charity, and holy dips in rivers.
Makar Sankranti	Makar Sankranti is a festival day in the Hindu calendar, dedicated to the deity Surya (sun). It is observed each year in January and marks the first day of the sun's transit into Makara, signaling the end of the month with the winter solstice and the start of longer days.	Makar Sankranti is the festival that follows Lohri, celebrated on the 14th of January. It is the astrological event that Lohri anticipates and prepares for, marking the beginning of an auspicious phase in the Hindu calendar.	The festival is significant as it is a day of spiritual practices and is considered a time for peace and prosperity. It is a day to honor the sun god, Surya, and to celebrate the harvest. It is also a time for socializing and family gatherings.	Makar Sankranti is celebrated by taking holy dips in rivers, flying kites, and giving charity. Special foods like khichdi and sweets made of sesame seeds and jaggery are prepared and distributed. It's a time for community feasts and outdoor activities.	Makar Sankranti is celebrated across India with different cultural practices, while Lohri is predominantly a Punjabi festival. Makar Sankranti has a more religious and pan-Indian appeal, with diverse customs like kite flying, which are not a part of Lohri.