Makara Sankranti

Til-gul Ladoo and Haldi Kumum

Sankranti is the transmigration of the sun from one Rashi (zodiac sign) to another.  As the number of rashis is 12, the number of Sankrantis in a calendar year also equals 12.  Sankranti marks the beginning of the calendar month in sidereal solar calendars followed in some Indian states.  Each Sankranti is named after the rashi it enters.

The most celebrated Sankrantis in a year are the Makara Sankranti (January 14/15 - Uttarayan), Mesha Sankranti (April 14/15 Puthandu/Vishu/Bihu/Baisakhi/Poila Boishak), and Mithuna Sankranti (June 14/15 - considered to be the annual menstruating phase of mother earth.)

Makara Sankranti, as its name suggests, marks the transit of the sun into the Makara Rashi (Capricorn) from Dhanu Rashi (Sagittarius).  This transit of the sun marks beginning of Uttarayan which signifies the end of winter and start of longer days in the Northern Hemisphere, when the sun appears to rise from the north.  Mentioned in the vedas, this is one of the oldest recording of equinoxes and solistices.

The thawing of the chilly winter with the welcome warmth of the sun calls for a celebration. Also, the sun ripens the standing crops in the fields across the land  and it is time for farmers to reap the hard-earned gains of their labour! So it is widely celebrated as a harvest festival, in gratitude and as thanksgiving, for keeping pots and granaries overflowing. It’s a fine example of how social customs are connected to the cycle of seasons and economics in our country, of which agriculture forms the backbone.

Bhogi Thali in my home 

In Maharashtra, Makara Sankranti is a three-day long festival.  The first day is celebrated as Bhogi (This coincides with Lohri in Punjab).  On this day, people discard old and derelict things and concentrate on new things, symbolising change or transformation.  A platter or thali called the Bhogi thali (rice, millet rice, sugar halwa (popularly known as tilgul), mixed vegetables, carrots and spring onions served on millet flour flatbread) is offered to God and then shared with neighbours.

Vamsa with Ingredients prepared by my daughter, Shalvi 

On the second day, which is actually Makara Sankranti, earthen pots are filled with  til-gul, chickpea, lima beans, green peas, sugarcane, phobi nut, carrots, and groundnuts and worshipped (it may be noted that all these crops are harvested in this season).  This is known as Vamsa, and represents the family.  The large pots are the adults and tiny pots children.   An offering of puran poli is made to gods.  Later in the evening, people greet each other saying, "तिळगुळ घ्या, गोड बोला (til-gul ghyaa, goad bola)" meaning, ‘Accept sweets and utter sweet words,' and exchange til-gul (sesame-jaggery) as tokens of goodwill. The underlying thought is to forgive and forget the past ill-feelings, resolve conflicts, speak sweetly and remain friends. Married women come together and perform a special 'Haldi-Kumkum' ceremony, where they exchange metal articles of daily use.

Day three is Kinkrant.  According to Vishnu Purana, a demon named Kinkarasura was killed on this day by the Goddess and hence the name; kinkara+anta, meaning the end of Kinkarasura (anta means end).  On this day, bali (sacrifice of life, generally a rooster or a male goat) is offered to the Goddess.

Though the rituals may vary, there are many similarities in the way the festival is celebrated all over India.  The presiding deity is Surya Devta (Sun God).  Common activities include kite flying, consumption of sweets containing sesame seeds, wearing black clothes, and Prayag snan (bathing at the confluence of rivers).  This bath is believed to absolve one of all past sins!  Scientifically, black absorbs heat and thus, black clothes let the the sun's heat pass into the body, aiding further growth (ripening), hence the use of black costumes.

As the South symbolises end/destruction in mythology, the movement of the sun towards the North during Makara Sankranti (Uttarayan) signifies a new beginning.  It symbolizes the awakening of seeds that were dormant during Dakshinayan.  Though not a harvest festival, the rituals across the country signify prosperity; whether it is the overflowing pot of Pongal or the high flying kites.  After braving the cold winter, the farmers worship Sun God to shine on their crops and help them reap the benefits of their labour.  Thus Makara Sankranti signifies hopes for prosperity.

Wishing all our readers, a very happy Sankranti -- may the sun of good fortune smile on you and your families always!

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Credits:  I am grateful to Nupur, my dear friend for citing some important points that have been included in the article.

Edit 1:  After reading the blog post, my sister-in-law, Sarita, shared these tempting til-gul ladoos with me.  I have requested her to share the recipe too!  Revisit the blog in a couple of days for the recipe!

 

Edit 2:  Find the recipe here!

Savoury Pongal Recipe/Venn Pongal

Last week, I shared with you the recipe for Sweet Pongal.  Today, I will introduce to you its savoury cousin, Venn Pongal.  While Sweet Pongal is used as an offering to Gods during festivals such as Rathasaptami  and Pongal, (Tamil new year), Venn Pongal is one of the popular breakfast dishes of South India.  Even though this is labelled as a breakfast food, it can be consumed for lunch/dinner too.  My friends love this dish so much that when they visit me, they make me prepare it irrespective of the time of the day/night.   Importantly, all the ingredients needed are generally readily available at home.  It is nutritious, delicious, filling and easy to make; in short, an ideal breakfast recipe.

Ingredients:

Fine Rice 1 cup

Moong Dal 1 cup (yellow petite lentils)

Pepper 4-6
Ginger 1 inch piece, finely grated

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Ghee 1-2 tablespoons (or edible oil of your choice)

Salt to taste
Curry leaves 5-6 leaves
Red Chili, one or two (optional)
Coriander for garnishing.(optional)

Time:

Preparation time 5 minutes, cooking time 20 min approx.  Serves 4.

Procedure in Detail:

Dry roast the rice and moong dal separately in a pan.  Wash and drain the rice and dal mixture.

In a pressure pan, bring to boil 5 cups of water.  Add the rice and dal mixture to the water, add salt, cover and cook on low flame for two or even three whistles of the cooker.

Once the cooker has cooled down, check the consistency of the rice.  It should have a thick and porridgy consistency.  If it is thicker, add hot water and bring to boil.  The final consistency of the Pongal should be thick and porridgy.  Transfer to a serving bowl.

For the seasoning, heat ghee/edible oil in a pan, splutter the pepper, add in the cumin seeds, add curry leaves once the cumin has spluttered, add in ginger and red chili.  Pour sizzling hot on the cooked pongal.  Garnish with coriander.

Tastes best served hot with fresh coconut chutney.

Tips:

1.  If you are health/calorie conscious, you can substitute the fine rice with millet, brown rice, oats or quinoa.  If you are using brown rice, dry roast and soak for at least an hour before cooking.

2.  If you are looking for totally oil-free cooking, skip the seasoning and add in the cumin seeds, pepper and grated ginger while cooking in the pressure cooker.  Add crushed garlic if it suits your taste.  Your oil-free Venn Pongal is ready to eat.
3.  One can add chopped french beans, fresh green peas, and carrots to enhance the nutrition value.
4.  If you would rather use a microwave oven instead of a pressure cooker, set the rice, dal and water mixture in the oven at high for 10 minutes and check the consistency in the end.
5.  The consistency of Pongal will largely depend on the rice used.  Basmati will not cook to a soft consistency.  Select rice that cooks to soft consistency; e.g., sona masouri or kolam.