Pongal and Makar Sankranti: Sun, Gratitude, and New Beginnings
Pongal and Makar Sankranti are significant harvest festivals celebrated across India, though known by different names and with regional variations in rituals and customs. Both festivals, typically falling in mid-January, mark the end of winter solstice and the beginning of the sun's northward journey (Uttarayana), heralding longer days and the arrival of spring.