While year-end in India steals the limelight for being the festive season, January doesn’t disappoint either. Just head to these destinations to experience the month’s harvest festivals—Lohri, Makar Sankranti, Bihu and Pongal—to get a glimpse of all the fun that awaits. By Bayar Jain
Being a largely agrarian society, it comes as no surprise that January brings with it harvest festivals galore. Despite being celebrated in vastly different regions of the country, Lohri, Makar Sankranti, Bihu and Pongal are unified by a common thread: the celebration of a bountiful harvest. Be it happiness soaring the Gujarati skies in the form of kites during Vasi-Uttarayan or Makar Sankranti, decorating homes with kolam in Tamil Nadu for Pongal, or even paying homage to the Sun God amid Punjabi fields or Assamese plateaus for Lohri and Bihu, respectively, these harvest festivals have a charm of their own irrespective of destination.
1. Madurai, Tamil Nadu
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While Madurai is known for its sombre demeanour and revered temple sites, the town comes to life during the multi-day Pongal festivities. Starting January 14, the temple-town begin the celebrations by donating a portion of the harvest to the Sun God and decorating homes with rice-water based kolams, a form of rangoli signature to the southern states. Over the course of the festivities, sakkarai pongal (jaggery and rice cooked in mud pots) is devoured, homes are painted in vibrant shades, and cattle-honouring rituals are organised at the temples—particularly at Meenakshi Amman Temple and Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple. The highlight, however, remains Jallikattu—a traditional taming of the bulls festival. Whether one favours the tradition or not, the ancient sport complete with jasmine-adorned bulls continues to grab curious eyeballs.
2. Mysuru, Karnataka
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When in Mysuru, a fusion of beliefs greets travellers during January’s harvest festivals. The day is marked by flying kites (a tradition synonymous to Makar Sankranti or Makara Sankranti, as it is spelt in the region) as well as worshipping cattle (common during Pongal). Known as Uttarayana Punyakala, the celebrations include binging on ellu-bella, a mixture of white sesame seeds, groundnut and jaggery; organising cattle processions and praying to the animals; and flying kites. This time also marks the departure of the chilling winter and considered a segue to the upcoming long sunny days crucial for a good yield.
3. Ahmedabad, Gujarat
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Come January, and the skies of Ahmedabad are filled with quirky and colourful kites. Multi-hued manjhas (a kite’s string) line out shops a week prior to Makar Sankranti, while countless variations of paper kites hang overhead. Ordinarily, the state’s tourism board organises the Kite Flying Festival during this period wherein pop-up stalls selling jalebis and chikki find a space, and people gather to indulge in the playful kite-flying rivalry. As the sun sets, these multicoloured kites are replaced with fireworks dazzling in the night sky, only to pave the way for more ‘kite-flying tournaments’ the following day.
4. Ludhiana, Punjab
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There’s a justifiable reason why Ludhiana’s Lohri celebrations are considered one of the grandest ones in the country. An already-jolly community, Sikhs of the Punjabi city form troupes during this time to perform bhangra on the streets. The infectious happiness is then increased manifold courtesy thunderous dhol beats echoing in the air and whiffs of jaggery-laden sweets lingering in the air. Post sundown, the merry vibes are replaced with sombre prayers chanted around a bonfire. During this time, people circumambulate the fire as a sign of respect and reverence for prosperity, while simultaneously thanking the elements of life—sun, earth and fire.
5. Guwahati, Assam
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Head eastwards to experience a week-long harvest festival. Known as Magh Bihu, Bhogali Bihu or even Maghar Domahi, this period marks the end of the harvesting season in Assam. During this time, young folks erect makeshift huts—known as belaghar—using bamboo, leaves and thatch to enjoy a lavish feast together. This delicious spread ordinarily consists of sunga pitha and til pitha (types of rice cakes), and laru (a coconut sweet) for dessert. In celebration, a meji (a bonfire) is lit as a symbolic conclusion while people chant prayers to the God of Fire, and offer chicken, rice cakes, rice beers, chira, akhoi, and other eatables. In the end, the bhelaghar is also burned, and another feast—known as mah karai, a mix of rice and black gram—is served. The ashes thus generated are then used to enhance the crop’s fertility, and thus facilitate a better yield.
Related: Bathukamma — A Festival That Celebrates The Connection Between Humans & Nature
Bayar Jain
Senior Content Manager
Equipped with a degree in Sociology (Honours) from the University of Delhi, and a post graduate diploma in English Journalism and Mass Communication from Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai, Bayar enjoys sharing stories of people, places, and different cultures. When not typing her travel tales, you can catch the hobbyist photographer capturing the next frame, dabbling in arts and crafts, or gushing over puppers and kittens.
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