Sankranti means transition, or the movement of the Sun from one rashi, or constellation, into another. There are twelve rashis according to astrology, and hence twelve Sankrantis occur in a year. This transition takes place around the middle of the English calendar months. Thus, from mid-January to December, there are twelve Sankranti festivals.

However, given the importance of the Sun’s transit from Dhanu to Makara (Sagittarius to Capricorn), Makara Sankranti is celebrated as a major festival in the middle of every January.

Agricultural significance

The completion of........

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