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By Astrologer Praveen Kumar · 1 October 2026 · Updated 3 October 2026
Makar Sankranti (मकर संक्रांति) is one of the few Hindu festivals fixed by the Sun rather than the Moon. In Bihar it arrives with the taste of dahi-chura and tilkut, the cold of a January dawn at the Ganga, and kites over Patna rooftops. For astrologers, it is also an important turning point in the year: the Sun moves into Capricorn, Kharmas ends, and the auspicious season for weddings and new beginnings reopens.
This guide covers the astronomy and astrology of Sankranti, the Bihar customs from Gaya to Begusarai, a rashi-wise daan list, the Kharmas connection, and simple Surya and Shani remedies.
A Sankranti is the moment the Sun moves from one zodiac sign into the next. There are twelve every year, but Makar Sankranti — the Sun's entry into Makar (Capricorn) — is the most celebrated.
Vedic astrology uses the sidereal (nirayana) zodiac, which accounts for the precession of the equinoxes. That is why Makar Sankranti now falls around 14 or 15 January, although the astronomical winter solstice — the start of the Sun's northward movement in the tropical zodiac — happens around 21-22 December. Over centuries the gap between the two has been slowly widening, which is why older texts and family memories sometimes mention earlier dates.
The hours after the Sun's entry are called punya kaal, the most meritorious period for snan, daan and puja. If the Sun enters Makar late in the evening or at night, the festival is observed on the following morning. The exact time varies each year, so check the Panchang for Patna or your district rather than relying on a fixed date.
Tradition treats Makar Sankranti as the start of Uttarayan — the Sun's northern course, considered the "day of the devas". In the Mahabharata, Bhishma Pitamah waited on his bed of arrows for Uttarayan before leaving his body, which is why this period is regarded as spiritually auspicious.
| Factor | Meaning on Sankranti |
|---|---|
| Sun enters Makar | Leaves Jupiter's sign Dhanu and enters Saturn's sign |
| Makar ruled by Saturn | Surya visits the house of his son Shani |
| Kharmas ends | Sun leaves Dhanu, reopening the season for auspicious work |
| Uttarayan begins (traditional) | Solar strength is considered to grow |
| Til (sesame) | Linked to Saturn; offered and donated to pacify Shani |
| Gur (jaggery) | Linked to the Sun; warmth, sweetness, vitality |
The father-son story is central. Surya and Shani are traditionally described as estranged, and on Sankranti the Sun comes to Saturn's house. The festival thus carries a message of reconciliation — and is considered especially good for people whose charts show Sun-Saturn tension, a weak Sun, or who are running Sade Sati or a Saturn dasha. See our guide on Shani Sade Sati for more on Saturn's phases.
The signature meal of Bihar on Sankranti is dahi-chura — flattened rice from the new paddy harvest, thick curd and gur or sugar, eaten with tilkut, til ke laddu, lai (puffed rice or chura laddoo) and sometimes vegetables. Many households also prepare khichdi in the evening, which is why the day is popularly called Khichdi across Bihar and eastern UP. In political and social life in Patna, dahi-chura feasts hosted on Sankranti have become a well-known tradition.
Tilkut from Gaya is famous across India. Made by pounding roasted til with gur or sugar, it is prepared in Gaya's tilkut workshops through the winter, and families across Bihar buy or gift it for Sankranti. Til and gur together combine the energies of Saturn and the Sun — a perfect edible symbol of the festival.
A holy dip on Sankranti morning is the most important ritual:
Those who cannot reach a river can add a few drops of Ganga jal and some black til to bathwater at home.
Kite flying, village fairs, gifting tilkut to married daughters' homes, and touching elders' feet are all part of the day. In Mithila, it is also common to give til-chaul (sesame and rice) to children while asking them to promise to "carry the til" — a playful way of teaching them to care for their elders.
When the Sun transits Dhanu (Sagittarius) from mid-December to mid-January, the month is called Kharmas. Traditionally, weddings, griha pravesh, mundan and other major samskaras are avoided during this period. With the Sun's entry into Makar, Kharmas ends.
This is why Makar Sankranti is the unofficial start of the wedding season in Bihar. But remember:
See our guide on Vivah Muhurat for how wedding dates are chosen.
Til and gur are suitable for everyone. Many astrologers add items connected with the ruling planet of one's Moon sign. Treat this as a traditional guide, and give within your means.
| Rashi (Moon sign) | Ruling planet | Suggested daan |
|---|---|---|
| Mesh (Aries) | Mars | Red lentils (masoor), gur, red cloth |
| Vrishabh (Taurus) | Venus | Rice, curd, white til, sugar |
| Mithun (Gemini) | Mercury | Moong dal, green vegetables |
| Kark (Cancer) | Moon | Rice, milk, white cloth |
| Simha (Leo) | Sun | Wheat, gur, copper vessel |
| Kanya (Virgo) | Mercury | Moong dal, green cloth |
| Tula (Libra) | Venus | Rice, sugar, white clothes |
| Vrishchik (Scorpio) | Mars | Masoor dal, gur, red cloth |
| Dhanu (Sagittarius) | Jupiter | Chana dal, turmeric, yellow cloth |
| Makar (Capricorn) | Saturn | Black til, blankets, mustard oil |
| Kumbh (Aquarius) | Saturn | Black til, blankets, urad dal |
| Meen (Pisces) | Jupiter | Chana dal, yellow fruits, turmeric |
Not sure of your Moon sign? Our guide on Moon sign vs Sun sign explains how to find it.
For a weak Sun — difficulties with authority, government work, father, confidence or eyesight:
For Saturn — Sade Sati, Shani dasha, delays and heaviness:
Gemstones like ruby or blue sapphire should only be worn after a complete chart analysis, with a trial period — a wrongly chosen stone can create problems instead of solving them.
Do
Don't
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| Sankranti is always on 14 January | It follows the Sun's sidereal entry into Makar and can shift a day |
| All weddings can begin the next day | Jupiter, Venus and the full muhurat must also be favourable |
| Sankranti is the winter solstice | The solstice is around 21-22 December; sidereal Sankranti is later |
In a consultation, Astrologer Praveen Kumar studies your Sun and Saturn placement, running dasha and transits, and suggests suitable remedies or muhurat windows for the coming months. Book a Vedic Astrology consultation or Kundali Analysis, or for wedding planning, a Marriage Compatibility session. Families can also reach us through our astrologer in Gaya, astrologer in Begusarai and astrologer in Patna pages.
Book your consultation with Astrologer Praveen Kumar — Contact us today
Makar Sankranti follows the Sun's entry into sidereal Capricorn, not a fixed calendar date. In recent years it has fallen on 14 or 15 January. If the Sun enters Makar late in the day or after sunset, the punya kaal for snan and daan is observed the next morning. Check the Panchang for Patna or your district for the exact year.
Kharmas ends when the Sun leaves Dhanu and enters Makar, so the wedding season traditionally reopens after Sankranti. However, a valid vivah muhurat also needs Jupiter and Venus to be free from combustion and a suitable tithi, nakshatra and lagna. Some years the first good dates come a little later, so always check an actual muhurat list.
Dahi-chura with gur and tilkut is the signature Sankranti meal of Bihar. It celebrates the new paddy harvest, since chura is made from fresh rice, and suits the winter season. Many families eat dahi-chura in the morning after snan and daan, and khichdi in the evening, which is why the festival is also called Khichdi in many homes.
Til and gur are suitable for everyone on Sankranti. Many astrologers add items linked to each Moon sign's ruling planet, such as red lentils for Aries and Scorpio, white rice or curd for Taurus and Libra, and black til or blankets for Capricorn and Aquarius. Donate within your means; sincerity matters more than the quantity.
Yes, symbolically. Makar, Capricorn, is ruled by Saturn, and in Puranic stories Shani is the son of Surya. Sankranti is described as the Sun visiting his son's house, a day of reconciliation. That is why black til, which is linked to Saturn, is offered and donated, and why the day is considered helpful for people running Sade Sati or Saturn dasha.
Book a personalised session with Astrologer Praveen Kumar — Bihar's most trusted Vedic astrologer.
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