On Tuesday, Indians woke up to coloured kites soaring in the sky on the occasion of the festival of “Makar Sankaranti” also known as “Uttarayan” – which marks the end of the winter season and welcomes the summer. Hindus offer prayers to Lord Surya, who is symbolised by the Sun.
Known as the Indian version of “Thanksgiving”, Sankaranti is a harvest festival that gathers friends, neighbours and families together to celebrate the day with early morning dips in holy rivers, flying kites, exchanging sweets made of sesame seeds and evenings lit up with bonfires. Legit Kite-flying competitions are organised in neighbourhoods across the country.
Netizens took to Twitter to wish each other a happy Makar Sankaranti with pictures of kites.
All set broo 😂 Happy Makarsankranti to all 💃 pic.twitter.com/3I4lLShShS
— IrtizA (@Varuns_Irtu) January 14, 2020
Gm😊💐👍
— Anand Desai (@akkudesai) January 13, 2020
Losers let it happen.
Winners make it happen.
“Happy MakarSankranti”💐💐to you & ur family😊🎊🎉🎈#kitefestival #Kite pic.twitter.com/aSwqr6dweA
Happy #MakarSankranti pic.twitter.com/4uudSePTMx
— Vishal Sharma (@vksharmaa999) January 14, 2020
How to fly kites if it's raining on #Lohri and #MakarSankranti pic.twitter.com/GadT9UNphT
— Professor (@vipin122821) January 14, 2020
All set for #MakarSankranti
— Deep Pandya (@deeppandya98) January 14, 2020
We Gujaratis keep waiting for this day whole year and finally #Uttarayan is here 😊 pic.twitter.com/xTYG7HAp9e
The festivities associated with Sankaranti are known by different names from region to region. The festival is called "Lohri" in North India, "Pedda Pandaga" in the states of Maharashtra, Goa and Andhra Pradesh, "Magh Bihu" in north-eastern state of Assam and "Pongal" in South India.
People from various regions in India dress up in their traditional ethnic attires as part of the festivities.
Here’s to those who laid the groundwork to a bountiful harvest. Let’s enjoy and respect the fruits of their labour! #Lohri #Pongal #MakarSankranti pic.twitter.com/u82JbzI9fp
— Ruosh (@Ruoshofficial) January 13, 2020
This Lohri, may all your friends and family come together, dance & sing merrily around the biggest bonfire ever.
— Jag Kalyan (@Jagkalyan2) January 13, 2020
Spread peace and prosperity!!
We wish you the happiest Lohri and Makar Sankranti ever. #Lohri pic.twitter.com/QWERmgtJeq
Bhogi is an ocassion to to mark a new and prosperous beginning by discarding discard old and derelict things. #MakarSankranti
— Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) January 14, 2020
May this day make our future as bright as the sun shine, and bring joy, prosperity and happiness into the lives of all.#Pongal pic.twitter.com/sTBsd3TVuP
Happy
— Vishal Lohar (@VLoharOfficial) January 14, 2020
Rongali #Bihu
To you & your family...😊 pic.twitter.com/EoH12ovksD
RVA CAS College Students Celebrating The Pongal By Performing #Verithanam Song In Campus..
— Bangalore Tamil Pasanga ™ (@BTP_Offl) January 14, 2020
Pure Verithanam Overlaoded To This Students Just Look The Craze For #Verithanam Song.. 🔥🔥
This Is How Thalapathy Fans Celebrate #PongalFestival#Master
pic.twitter.com/zD33b0mReq
On Twitter, #MakarSankaranti, #Pongal, #Lohri and #Bihu are also trending in India.
However, as gathered from previous years, hundreds of birds get injured on Uttarayan in India by the glass-shred coated strings called “Manjha” used for flying kites. This year, netizens are urging people to be careful not to hurt birds while enjoying the festivities.
@ShraddhaKapoor Hundreds of birds and humans get severely injured or die due to manja (kite-flying strings) during #MakarSankranti.
— PETA India (@PetaIndia) January 14, 2020
Here’s a video on what’s wrong with manja: #SayNoToManja pic.twitter.com/tIW9JYt6yR
Humble Request..🙏🙏#MakarSankranti pic.twitter.com/jPyYL5Ta5Z
— हिन्द (@Hind_3001) January 13, 2020
Let’s save lives this Makar Sankranti
— Sherry and Diya Foundation (@SherryDiya) January 14, 2020
when you see injured birds!
call our toll-free number
Sherry and Diya Foundation
1800 123 1137
Website : https://t.co/ov78CApt48 pic.twitter.com/hzIvxKasby