SUMMARY
Five harvest festivals are celebrated in India during January. Let’s take a look at the customs, rituals and what makes each of these harvest festivals unique.
1 / 6India celebrates nearly 17 harvest festivals through the year, each popular for their own traditions, rituals and customs. These festivals are deeply rooted in the country’s agrarian lifestyle. Overall, the festivals are about bringing different communities together and getting everyone involved in different traditions like preparing special dishes, offering prayers to the deities and performing folk dances. Here are some details that give a fresh take on four harvest festivals that are celebrated in India in January, compiled by the CNBC-TV18 Travel Desk. (Image: Reuters)
2 / 61. Makar Sankranti | One of the most celebrated Hindu festivals in India, Makar Sankranti marks the transition of the Sun into the zodiac sign of Capricorn (Makara), signifying the beginning of longer days as the Sun moves northwards. This time, Makar Sankranti will be celebrated on Tuesday (January 14). celebrating the harvest season, this festival honours Lord Surya (Sun God) and symbolises the triumph of light over darkness. On this day, people take a bath in a sacred river to purify the soul and wash away their sins. They offer food to Lord Surya to express gratitude, while many observe fasts and only break them during the Punya Kaal Muhurta. (Image: Reuters)
3 / 62. Pongal | Pongal, one of the most significant Hindu festivals in South India, especially Tamil Nadu, will be celebrated from January 14 to January 17. The four-day celebration honours the Sun God and sees families coming together to decorate their houses with ‘rangoli’ and offering the traditional Pongal dish made from newly harvested rice to the Sun God. (Image: Reuters)
4 / 63. Lohri | Celebrated across several states in India, especially Punjab, this harvest festival sees people lighting bonfires and dancing to welcome the longer days ahead after the winter solstice. This year, Lohri is being marked on Monday, January 13. The Lohri celebrations are extra special in families where a marriage or a birth has taken place recently. During this occasion, people offer jaggery, gachak and rewri to each other. (Image: Reuters)
5 / 64. Magh Bihu | Also popular as Bhogali Bihu, this festival is celebrated in the state of Assam and is dedicated to ‘Agni Dev’ (Fire God). Signifies the conclusion of the harvest season, the celebrations this year will take place on January 15, 2025. (Image: Reuters)
6 / 65. Bhogali Bihu | The term refers to ‘feasting’ in Assamese. This occasion coincides with Pongal and Makar Sankranti celebrations across several states. In Assam, villagers participate in fishing with nets in community events at lakes on the eve of Bhogali Bihu festival. The annual festival marks the end of the winter harvesting season. (Image: Reuters)
