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MAKAR SANKRANTI marks a celestial shift as the Sun moves into the zodiac sign of Capricorn, signalling a time of harvest, gratitude, and community. Across India, this auspicious festival is celebrated with an array of sweets and rituals that reflect regional flavours and philosophies. These culinary traditions are often paired with age-old sayings and customs, adding layers of meaning to the festivities. Here’s a journey through the sweets and the stories they tell.
Tilgul (Maharashtra)
The Sweet: Tilgul, made from sesame seeds and jaggery, is exchanged as a gesture of goodwill. This nutty, caramel-like treat symbolises warmth and unity during winter.
The Saying: "Tilgul ghya, ani god god bola" (Take this sweet and speak sweetly).
The Significance: This Marathi saying encapsulates the festival’s emphasis on mending relationships and fostering harmony. Sesame seeds, small yet strong, are a metaphor for resilience and togetherness, while jaggery adds the sweetness of kindness.
Phonetic Pronunciation: Teel-gool ghyah, ah-nee goad goad boh-lah
Sakkarai Pongal (Tamil Nadu)
The Sweet: Sakkarai Pongal is a luscious rice pudding made with jaggery, lentils, and a generous drizzle of ghee. Cooked in newly harvested rice, it represents prosperity and gratitude.
The Saying: "Pongalo Pongal!" (May the boiling overflow bring abundance!).
The Significance: During the Pongal festival, families gather to cook this dish in clay pots. As the pot boils over, they chant this phrase, invoking blessings for overflowing prosperity and happiness.
Phonetic Pronunciation: Pong-ah-lo Pong-ahl
Pitha (Odisha, West Bengal, Assam)
The Sweet: Pitha comes in many forms—steamed, fried, or baked—with fillings of jaggery, coconut, or sesame. It’s a hallmark of harvest celebrations.
The Saying: "Nua dhan, nua pitha" (New rice, new pitha).
The Significance: This Odia phrase captures the joy of the first harvest. The preparation of pitha is a communal activity, with families coming together to create these delicate treats, symbolising unity and renewal.
Phonetic Pronunciation: Noo-ah dhaan, noo-ah pee-tha
Gajak (North India)
The Sweet: Gajak is a brittle made from sesame seeds and sugar or jaggery, often flavoured with cardamom or rose water. It’s enjoyed during the cold months for its energy-boosting properties.
The Saying: "Til aur gur ka sang, sada rahe umang" (With sesame and jaggery, may joy always stay).
The Significance: This Hindi proverb highlights the symbolic pairing of sesame and jaggery—a blend of strength and sweetness—as a wish for enduring happiness.
Phonetic Pronunciation: Teel or goor kah sung, suh-dah rah-hay oo-mung
Ellu-Bella (Karnataka)
The Sweet: Ellu-Bella is a mix of sesame, jaggery, dried coconut, and peanuts, distributed in small packets to friends and neighbours.
The Saying: "Ellu bella thindu, olle maathu aadi" (Eat this mix, and speak good words).
The Significance: This Kannada phrase reinforces the festival’s essence of kindness and goodwill. Sharing Ellu-Bella is a way of reconnecting and spreading positivity within the community.
Phonetic Pronunciation: Ell-oo Bell-ah thin-doo, oh-lay mah-thoo ah-dee
Makar Sankranti’s culinary customs are a testament to the festival’s deeper ethos: gratitude, community, and renewal. As we savour these traditional sweets, we also partake in a legacy of shared wisdom and joy, bridging the past and present with every bite.
Why not exchange a sweet and a kind word today? After all, as the proverbs remind us, a little sweetness goes a long way!
