From Lohri in North India to Makar Sankranti in the West, and Pongal in Tamil Nadu to Uttarayan in Gujarat and Magh Bihu in North East, these vibrant winter harvest festivals are observed with enthusiasm, reflecting India's rich tapestry of cultural diversity.
This festival is celebrated with kite flying in the day, preparing special delicacies for gala feasting, and singing and dancing around the bonfire at night.
Here is how people across different states celebrate the winter harvest festival.
Lohri
People gather around bonfires offer peanuts and popcorn to the fire as they worship and pray walking around it. People also sing traditional folk songs and perform Bhangra and Gidda dances to the beats of the drums.
Lohri has a popular tradition of singing the Punjabi folk song 'Sundar Mundariye Hoye' which celebrates the bravery of a man called Dulla Bhatti who used to rescue young girls from the clutches of the Mughals. He would then find a suitable groom for them to marry with the money which he would steal from the rich.
Throughout the day, families and friends come together to enjoy delicious traditional food like Makki di roti and Sarson da saag, and sweets made of sesame seeds, jaggery, and peanuts, creating a warm and festive atmosphere.
Many folk songs on Lohri feature Dulla Bhatti, a legendary hero who led a rebellion against the Mughal empire.
Makar Sankranti
Makar Sankranti, which falls a day after Lohri on 14 January, is celebrated in Western region of India across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and other regions.
In West Bengal, Makar Sankranti is known as Poush Sankranti.
The festival marks the transition of the sun into the zodiac sign of Capricorn, signifying the end of winter and the onset of longer days.
It is also dedicated to the Sun God as a mark of gratitude for blessing the farmers with a good crop.
People traditionally prepare Khichdi, a rice dish, and celebrate by hosting a grand feast that features indulging in traditional sweets such as til laddoos and gur ki gajak.
Pongal
Pongal is another harvest festival that is celebrated in South India, particularly in Tamil Nadu.
It is a four-day long festival that starts from 15th to 18th January.
Like Makar Sankranti, Pongal is also dedicated to the Sun God and expresses gratitude for a bountiful harvest season.
One of the main rituals of Pongal is the boiling of freshly harvested rice in earthen pots until they overflow, symbolizing abundance and prosperity.
People decorate their houses with kolam (a geometrical version of rangoli made of dry rice flour).
People prepare lentil and rice sweets such as Kadalai Paruppu Payasam, Unni appam, and sweet and savory Pongal.
Uttarayan
Uttarayan is celebrated in a big way in Gujarat and Maharashtra on 15th January.
The biggest highlight of the Uttarayan festival is the kite flying tradition. A few days before the festival, International kite flying festival is held. A large number of people gather on the terrace to fly colourful kite.
Magh Bihu
Observed in Assam and the North-Eastern states, Magh Bihu, also known as Bhogali Bihu, is a vibrant harvest festival. It is a time for feasting, partaking in traditional Assamese games, community bonfires and celebrating the abundant harvest.
Some of the popular delicacies that are prepared during this festival are Pitha (dumpling sweet made from rice or wheat flour and jaggery), coconut and jaggery laddoos, Dahi-Chura (puffed rice and curd), Akhoi. They also make rice beer and rice khichdi around this time.