Sankranti Celebrated with Pomp, Gaiety

[Guest guest]

BELGAUM (Sunday, January 15 2006 08:38 IST): Makar Sankranti was

celebrated with great pomp and gaiety on Saturday.

 

Men, women and children in the city wore colourful clothes, visited

near and dear ones and exchanged pieces of sugarcane, a mixture of

fried til, molasses, pieces of dry coconut, peanuts and fried gram.

 

Well dressed people thronged the streets, exchanging sweets and

wishing each other from 4 pm to 9.30 pm. The significance of this

exchange was that "Sweetness should prevail in all the dealings."

 

Tiny tots were seen with bowl filled with sweets, distributing them

to known and unknown persons. Most of them were traditionally

dressed, which made a more fascinating effect.

 

As part of the festival, cows and bulls were given a wash and the

horns were painted with bright colours. They were then taken in a

procession on the city streets. Special prayers were offered in the

temples and houses in the city.

 

Newly-wed women were given ornaments and their new relatives were

invited to meet and welcome them at a haldi kumkum celebration.

 

Speaking to this website's newspaper Rohit Ogle said that Makar

Sankranti was considered very auspicious for several reasons as this

was the day when the sun moves to the north to enter Makara Rasi

(the zodiac sign of Capricorn).

 

It marks the beginning of "Uttarayana Punya Kala", which is

considered auspicious, he added.

 

Sushma Patil of Shastri Nagar said this was an important festival

for Hindus. She said that colourful "rangolis" were drawn in the

courtyards of every house during this month. Cows are worshiped and

beggars were given alms during this festival, said Sushma.

 

SOURCE: NewIndPress.com

URL: http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?

ID=IEK20060114221704&Page=K&Title=Southern+News+-+Karnataka&Topic=0