The Festival Of Kites.

The new year has started. So have the festivals. Festivals are something that bring people together, people from different places , castes , cultures and religions. A festival is an occasion of joy , togetherness and spreading happiness.

Although a festival is meant for a particular religion as per the history and the books , it's the other way round now a days. Every festival is been celebrated with the same enthusiasm and excitement by everyone keeping religion , caste and everything negative aside. Happiness is what matters , the most.

Every festival has it's own importance. It is celebrated in a way that's meant to be. Just as Diwali is incomplete without lights , Christmas is incomplete without Santa , Dushhera is incomplete without pandal hopping , Kites is something that completes Sankranthi. The festival of kites.

Sankranthi or Makar Sankranthi is usually celebrated in the month of January when the festival goes on for 3 days. The first day is known as Bhogi. The second day is known as Makar Sankranthi and the final day is known as Kanuma.

The three days of Makar Sankranthi is filled with kites , food , Muggu's ( Chalk art) and the chant "Kai po che".

This festival of kites , food and all the fun is celebrated all over the country during the three days of January every year.

Who doesn't love kites? Everyone does. Right from a 7 year old kid to a 70 year old man. Who doesn't love the little kite fight among friends and family , the happiness when you cut your friend's kite , the sadness when your kite is cut and the sense of competition among everyone.

The mixture of all these emotions is what is called as Sankranthi.Sankranthi marks the first day of sun's transit into the Makara, marking the end of the month with the winter solstice and the start of longer days.

The festival is dedicated to the Hindu Sun God , Surya. The festival also marks the beginning of a six months auspicious period for Hindus known as Uttarayana period. It is also known as The Harvest Festival.

This Pan-Indian festival is celebrated in various states of the country. It also marks the Tamil New Year which is known as Pongal. A dessert named 'Pongal' is made out of the first rice crop of the year. Hence the name of the festival is Pongal.

Here's wishing all of you , "A very Happy Makara Sankranthi! Please take care that the birds don't get injured by the threads with which you fly the kites."

"Til Gud ghya ani Godgod bola"!