West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday extended her wishes on the occasion of Makar Sakranti, which is also called Poush Sangkranti in Bengal.
Banrejee took to Twitter, wishing all the pilgrims, on Poush Sangkranti and also extending best wishes to all the pilgrim,s who visited the river Ganges for ablution on the day of Makar Sakranti.
গঙ্গাসাগরে আগত সকল পুণ্যার্থীদের জানাই শুভ কামনা pic.twitter.com/2oSIX0dXOO
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) January 13, 2018
Makar Sankranti is one of the few ancient Hindu festivals that has been observed according to solar cycles, while most festivals are set by the lunar cycle of the lunisolar Hindu calendar.
Being a festival that celebrates the solar cycle, it almost always falls on the same Gregorian date every year (January 14), except in rare years when the date shifts by a day for that year, because of the complexity of earth-sun relative movement.
Also read: Mamata Banerjee extends Lohri greetings
The festivities associated with Makar Sankranti are known by various names such as Lohri by north Indian Hindus and Sikhs, Sukarat in central India, Bhogali Bihu by Assamese Hindus, Posh Sangkranti by Bengali Hindus and Pongal by Tamil and other south Indian Hindus.
Read more: 5 legends of Lohri you may want to know
Makar Sankranti is observed with social festivities such as colorful decorations, rural children going house to house, singing and asking for treats (or pocket money), melas (fairs), dances, kite flying, bonfires and feasts.