by ABFRLadmin | January 15, 2025
A Tapestry of Traditions, Names, and Celebrations
Every year, on the 14th of January, Makar Sankranti sparks a nationwide celebration of harvest, hope and heritage. Different parts of India have their own unique traditions, from the magnificence of the biggest kite flying festival in Gujrat to preparing an assortment of sweets like Tilgul in Maharashtra and savoring Pithe in Bengal. It is also known by many names like Makar Sankranti, Lohri, Poush Sankranti, or Uttarayana Parwakala, but at its core it is an occasion for the community to come together in gratitude and create memories that will be cherished for years to come.
From waking up super early to chilly January mornings, the scent of sesame sweets hanging in the air, to gathering around bonfires, and the thrill of chasing kites on the horizon-our employees shared their distinctive Makar Sankranti experiences growing up. Let’s take a nostalgic walk down some of those cherished memories.
1. My Tilgul Tales: Soaring High with Kites
My earliest memory of Makar Sankranti includes eagerly exchanging Tilguls (sesame and jaggery sweets) with my family and friends by saying “Tilgul ghya, god god bola”, which translates to ‘accept these sweets and speak sweetly’ symbolizing a tradition of forgiveness and harmony. My family would meet every year to make Tilgul Laddus and Gul Poli (jaggery stuffed flatbread) while I made it my mission in life to sneak in and stealthily eat as many laddus as I could get my tiny hands on. All the women would then wear black clothing and participate in Haldi Kumkum ceremonies to strengthen the bonds of friendship and community.
On one such Makar Sankranti eve I found myself at the center of attention as I got into the first kite battle of my life.
I held the string loose enough to let the kite find its rhythm in the breeze as it climbed higher and higher, giving it a jerk once or twice when needed. The vast evening sky was tinged with a variety of colourful kites, big and small. At 9 years old, I craned my neck to keep my bright yellow Patang in sight as a pink one sneakily made its way towards it. The closer it got, the louder the advice being lobbed in my direction became, ‘Get away from it’, ‘Go towards it’, ‘Hold the string tighter’. I made a last-ditch effort by pulling it taunt as my string entangled with the attacking kites’. Then in the blink of an eye, it was all over. As the sun set on the horizon, my yellow kite emerged victorious while the pink one gently floated down to a nearby tree.
The cheers from that day are still etched in my memory. The first Patang I earned. We ended up climbing the tree to rescue my prize, which to this day is stored at the back of my closet with all of my other precious trinkets.
2. Raunaq’s Bonfire Chronicles: Celebrating the warmth of Lohri
While I was busy pirating Kites on a terrace in Mumbai, 7-year-old Raunaq was celebrating Lohri at her Nani’s house in Rohtak, Haryana with her family. Raunaq Katyal, the Brand Manager for the Pantaloons- Marketing team regales us with tales from her childhood.
Little Raunaq was always curious about why everyone seemed so excited about throwing peanuts, popcorn, and revdi (sweets) into the fire.
“One day my grandmother sat me down to explain” she says, “that it was our way of thanking nature and the gods for the harvest—a celebration of abundance and togetherness. That night, as we danced to the beat of the dhol and sang Punjabi folk songs, I felt a deep sense of belonging, as though I was part of something much bigger—a tradition that connected me to generations before me.”
For the Katyal-Chhabra family, Lohri has always been more than just a festival. It’s a reminder of family, warmth, and the quirky traditions that make it uniquely special.
One of Raunaq’s fondest memories is tied to a ritual they still follow. After the Lohri fire is lit and the festivities wind down, her family gets together to quietly place a few sweet potatoes into the glowing embers before heading to bed.
The next morning, as the winter sun rises, they gather around the fire’s remnants to unearth perfectly roasted sweet potatoes from the ashes. They’re warm, smoky, and carry the essence of the night before—a taste of all the love and joy they shared.
“Even today, no store-bought treat compares to the wholesome feeling of those sweet potatoes,” she proclaims, as her eyes mist over. “It’s a small, intimate ritual, but it captures the heart of Lohri: finding sweetness in life’s simplest moments and cherishing the warmth of togetherness.”
3. Sachin’s Sweet Nostalgia: Homemade Panjeri and Til Gud Delights
A short way away in the village of Gurdaspur, our Project Consultant from Pantaloons Sachin Kumar’s childhood memories of Lohri echo similar to Raunaqs’. He fondly reminisces about his whole family, including all of his cousins, aunts and uncles travelling to their quaint village from all parts of India every year.
The pooja would take center stage as they professed appreciation for the land and tools that had led to such a bountiful Harvest. Lohri, a festival to give gratitude for all the blessings bestowed upon their family and community. Once the prayers were done, the week-long festivities would officially begin.
The cold northern winter nights would find Sachin celebrating with his family around a roaring Bonfire, a cherished Lohri tradition, where the fire would cleanse all the negativity and bring about purity of spirit. While Raunaq was fascinated with the meaning of the rituals, Sachin’s favorite memories surround the authenticity of his heritage that his family have diligently carried forward.
“Even as a child, I witnessed times rapidly changing, which made holding on to our traditions that much more important. In a world where we can order everything and just buy gifts last minute, I truly appreciate the effort and love my family put into making sweets like Til Gud and Panjeri, along with an assortment of snacks. We would then gather together around the bonfire to exchange these delicacies. It is a tradition we still follow all these years later.”
4. Raghuveer’s Yellu Bella Reflections: A Taste of Tradition
Raghuveer, our General Manager at S4 Fashion takes us down his memory lane to Karnataka where Makar Sankranti is also known as Uttarayana Parwakala – when the Sun moves towards the north.
“It is a special day from our childhood” he recalls fondly, “when we used to take an oil bath after the pooja at home and offer “yellu Bella” (sesame seeds & jaggery) to God. We would visit family and friends, share and exchange yellu bella, and seek blessings from elders.”
His most cherished childhood memory was visiting their farm land where they would gather together as a family to cook at the farm. His personal favourite was Pongal. They would then spend the rest of the day there surrounded by vast fields.
Raghuveer still remembers growing Jowar on his farm. When the crops were still not fully grown, his family would cut some down, steam the husk, and voila! The jowar inside was transformed into a delicious snack ready to be tucked into!
5. Anwesha’s Pithe Journey: A Sweet Culinary Adventure
Next, the East grabs our attention as Anwesha, a Senior Executive at Visual Merchandising regales us with fascinating tales of her Bengali upbringing.
“If I think of Makar Sankranti or Poush Sankranti,” she reminisces, “All I can recall from my childhood is the craze for having ‘Pithe’.” These are stuffed rice dumplings, filled with, til gur, coconut, and a wide assortment of delicious ingredients to form what is commonly known as “Pithe Puli” in Bengali.
Growing up in a joint family she recalls every year it being a task to make Pithe for so many family members.
But as a kid, she and her cousins were always excited to try their hand at making some.
“So, every year we used to gather in the kitchen and try to copy my mom and aunt,” she
recalls, her smile beaming with fond memories. “We would imitate how they used to stuff the
dumplings (more like annoyed them). Sometimes we succeeded, more often we did not, but
victory or defeat we made memories that we still laugh at together to this day.”
On the day of Makar Sakranti, Anwesha’s family would gather to perform “Makar Puja”
while the evenings were reserved for visiting melas.
The variety of cultures ABFRL houses comes to the surface when we gather together to swap stories of where we come from, our unique traditions and our distinctive cuisines. Keep an eye on this space as we continue this series celebrating the rich diversity of festivals across India.
Now that you have read our stories, we would love to hear from you! Share your cherished childhood memories of Makar Sankranti and the unique traditions you follow.
