Naveen greets people of Odisha on Makar Sankranti

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today greeted the people of Odisha on the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti.

Naveen took to Twitter and wrote: “Greetings and best wishes on the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti. May this festival bring joy and prosperity for you and your loved ones”.

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Naveen Patnaik

✔@Naveen_Odisha

ମକର ସଂକ୍ରାନ୍ତିର ପବିତ୍ର ଅବସରରେ ରାଜ୍ୟବାସୀଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଓ ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନ। ଆନନ୍ଦ ଉଲ୍ଲାସରେ ଏହି ପର୍ବକୁ ପାଳିବା ସହିତ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ସୁଖମୟ ଜୀବନ କାମନା କରୁଛି।#MakarSankranti

Internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik sculpted a sand art on the Puri beach on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.

Sudarshan took to twitter and shared the message: “My Warm wishes to all on this auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti, The Harvesting Festival of India. Happy Makar Sankranti!”.

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Sudarsan Pattnaik

✔@sudarsansand

My Warm wishes to all on this auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti, The Harvesting Fastval of India. Happy Makar Sankranti!#HappyMakarSankranti . My SandArt at puri beach , Odisha .

Makar Sankranti, the harvesting festival of India, refers both to a specific solar day in the Hindu calendar and an Indian festival in reference to deity Surya (sun) that is observed in January every year on this day.

It marks the first day of sun’s transit into the Makara (Capricorn), marking the end of the month with the winter solstice and the start of longer days.

The festivities associated with Makar Sankranti are known by various names such as ‘Lohri’ by north Indian Hindus and Sikhs, ‘Sukarat’ in central India, ‘Magh Bihu’ by Assamese, and ‘Pongal’ by Tamilians.

On this auspicious occasion, devotees take a holy dip in water bodies and visit temples early in the morning seeking blessings from the Almighty as it is believed that the ritual of taking a holy dip on Makar Sankranti wash away their sins.