Marks the sun's entry into Makara and the start of Uttarayana. In Maharashtra, families exchange til-gul — sesame and jaggery sweets — with the line "til gul ghya, god god bola": accept this sweetness, and speak sweetly in return.
महाराष्ट्र, उत्तर भारत
The day traditionally marks the end of an inauspicious period, Kharmas, during which weddings and other new beginnings are paused — Makar Sankranti reopens the calendar for such events.
Kite-flying is widely practiced this day too, beyond Uttarayan in Gujarat. Pilgrims bathe at river confluences, especially the Ganga, believing the day carries special purifying power.