Makara Sankranti celebrations swept Karnataka as devotees thronged temples, marked harvest traditions, and witnessed rare celestial phenomena statewide
Bengaluru
Makara Sankranti, marking the Sun’s transition into Makara Rashi or the Capricorn sign, was celebrated with traditional fervour across Karnataka on Thursday, blending devotion, culture, and agrarian gratitude. Temples across the state witnessed heavy footfall from the early hours, while households observed age-old rituals passed down through generations.
In Bengaluru, thousands of devotees gathered at the historic Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple in Basavanagudi, drawn by the temple’s unique astronomical phenomenon associated with Makara Sankranti. The cave shrine holds special significance on this day as the setting Sun’s rays pass precisely through the horns of the stone Nandi and illuminate the Shiva Linga inside the sanctum. Temple authorities described the rare alignment when the Sun’s rays fall directly on the Linga in the afternoon as a powerful symbol of cosmic harmony and divine blessings.
Given the surge in devotees, police and temple authorities put in place elaborate arrangements to regulate queues and ensure smooth darshan. Volunteers assisted elderly worshippers, while barricades and timed entry helped manage the steady flow of pilgrims.
Across Karnataka, devotees offered prayers in neighbourhood temples and observed Sankranti rituals at home. The festival, known locally as Suggi, marks the harvest season and celebrates nature’s bounty. Families prepared festive dishes and exchanged ‘Ellu-Bella’—a traditional mix of sesame seeds, jaggery, groundnuts, and coconut—symbolising harmony, safety, and good fortune.
In rural parts of the state, farmers celebrated the harvest with special pujas, cattle worship, and community gatherings, expressing gratitude for a good crop and praying for prosperity in the coming season. Cultural programmes, folk performances, and traditional games added colour to the festivities in several districts.
Markets across cities and towns saw brisk business, with flowers, jujube fruits, and sugarcane in high demand as essential offerings for pujas. Together, the rituals, harvest customs, and celestial spectacle underscored Makara Sankranti’s enduring spiritual and cultural significance in Karnataka.
