Maghe Sankranti Festival in Nepal

Sankranti in Sanskrit means ‘transition’ or simply ‘going from one place to another.’ So, in simple terms, Maghe Sankranti implies the arrival of Magh (माघ), the 10th month in the Nepalese calendar, and hence celebrated on the first day of this month, which usually falls in mid-January. But, the word Sankranti also refers to the sun’s movement from one zodiac sign to another. At the beginning of the Magh, the sun transitions into the zodiac sign Makar(Capricorn), also known as Makar Sankranti. The Maghe Sankranti festival in Nepal and across the Indian subcontinent is celebrated under different names, marking the beginning of warmer days as the sun starts its northward journey (Uttarayan), ending the winter solstice. 

Maghe Sankranti is a widely celebrated festival in Nepal and, hence, a major festival in the country. This festival holds religious and historical significance among different communities of  Nepal. It combines the diverse cultural traditions found throughout Nepal. While for one community, it marks the beginning of the New Year, for others, it is a day to remember the loved ones who are no more. People come together to enjoy feasts, sing, and dance, allowing themselves to forget their worries. In Hinduism, leaving the mortal body and achieving nirvana is even an auspicious day. Read along to find out more about Maghe Sankranti in Nepal.

How is Maghe Sankranti Celebrated in Nepal? 

Various communities celebrate Maghe Sankranti as a major Nepali festival across different parts of Nepal. Gathering in one place, singing, dancing, and eating foods like ghee, chaku (solidified molasses of Jaggery), and yam are common across communities. Here is how Nepal celebrates one of its biggest festivals. 

Gathering and Feasts 

Families and communities gather on Maghe Sankranti to share meals and hearty conversations on this day, signifying the importance of unity and bonding. Local fairs are organized nationwide for people to gather together, where they participate in sports, buy goods, and participate in cultural events. 

The gatherings are incomplete without the feasts. People eat Yam, Ghee, Chaku, and Sweet balls early in the morning. In the fairs, they can further explore other food items like batuk (donut-like food made from soaked lentils), meats, kheer (milk-rice pudding),  and yamori (sweet dumplings).

Singing and Dancing

Singing and dancing are integral parts of the Maghe Sankranti celebration in Nepal. The marking of the spring season is celebrated with the traditional songs and dances. Men and women participate together in this joyous festival wearing traditional attire. The tharu celebrates the Maghi with traditional Jhumra dance and lathi (stick) dance while magar people perform Maruni and Sorathi. 

Bathing in Sacred Rivers

Maghe Sankranti is known for Makar Snan, the first bath in the holy river by devotees on the first day of the Magh. The bath begins on the eve after the bamboo poles are buried in the bank of Devghat, where Kaligandaki and Trishuli meet. The bath is performed in such a place where three rivers meet, also known as Triveni. Followers believe bathing during the Maghe Sankranti in the holy river brings good fortune and purifies their souls, freeing them from sins. Here are some of the places for makar snan; 

• Devghat of Nawalparasi 
• Chatara of Sunsari 
• Kaligandaki Bank
• Setiveni of Parvat
• Bagmati Bank of Kathmandu Sankhamul
• Kankai River of Jhapa

Visiting Temples and Worshipping

Maghe Sankranti is the festival celebrating the sun’s transition from winter to summer solstice. Therefore, many devotees worship the sun god for its significance in nature and human life. Since it is a harvest festival, many people worship the sun as an integral factor in yielding crops. Offering water to the sun (arga) is a devotional act that shows respect and reverence, and it serves as a means of worshiping the sun god. Other than the sun god, devotees also visit temples and worship Lord Vishnu and Goddess Laxmi for prosperity and wealth. 

Bullfighting Festival in Nuwakot

A small village in Nuwakot, Taruka, celebrates Maghe Sankranti uniquely compared to the rest of Nepal. In addition to singing and dancing, the festival includes bull clashes in Taruka. Many people from different parts of Nepal visit the village on the first day of Magh to witness the bulls fighting in the arena. 

The history of bullfighting in this village dates back to the 18th century. The prince of Bajhang, Jay Prithivi Bahadur Singh, introduced it to the village while visiting his maternal uncle’s house. Since then, the people of the village have preserved it and practiced it for 300 years for entertainment and to celebrate the festival. With its rising popularity, it has also become a source of income for many because of internal tourism. 

Importance of Maghe Sankranti for Different Communitys of Nepal

New Year as a Maghi Festival for the Tharu Community

Maghe Sankranti is also known as Tila Sakranti, Maghi, or Khichara in Tharu Community and marks the New Year. The Tharu community has a lunar calendar that differs from the Nepalese one. The first day of the Magh marks the beginning of the harvest season after long and tiring fieldwork. It is a time to enjoy the fruits of their labor, a reason to celebrate. Therefore, it is also a harvest festival for them.

Tharu people across Nepal take part in communal gatherings and feasts. And singing and dancing. The younger ones start their year with blessings by touching the elder’s feet.  They worship nature and the sun god and take a holy bath in sacred rivers. They wear new clothes, usually white and green, to celebrate the new year’s arrival. Green symbolizes nature and the peaceful white nature of Tharu. The ornament they wear is silver, symbolizing the moon. Therefore, Maghi has immense significance for the Tharu people as they rely on agriculture; this day is when they all celebrate the abundance of harvest. 

New Year of Kirant Community

Like the Tharu community, the Kirant community has its own calendar, which is also a lunar calendar called Yele Sambat. It is named after the first Kirant king, Yalambar. Kathmandu was first ruled by the Gopal Dynasty, the first dynasty to rule Nepal. After the Gopal Dynasty came to Mahispala, the king of the Kirants, Yalambar, defeated the Mahispala dynasty to take over the throne of Kathmandu. He did so in the Maghe Sankranti, which is hence marked as the new year of the Kirant community. 

Significant Festival for Magar Community

Maghe Sankranti is also celebrated by the Magar community. Together with the Tharu community, it is recognized as the Magar community’s national festival. The basis for celebrating this auspicious festival is similar to that of the other communities: the end of the winter and the arrival of spring. In the Magar terminology, there is a term “udheli,” which means down, which is the same as Dakshinayan or winter solstice. And the term “ubheli” means up, the same as Uttarayan or summer solstice. These periods hold significance for the Magar community as they mark the time for herding livestock up and down from high pasturelands, their major economic activity.

Maghe Sankranti is celebrated by Magars through gatherings and feasts, immersed in the traditional Magar songs and dance. They invite their daughters and other female members of the family and worship them. Besides, they worship “pitri” (semidivine spirits of the deceased) for three days. On this day, many of the Magar People partake in Archery. Batuk is among the special foods for the Magar people on this day. It is a donut-shaped dish prepared by grinding the soaked lentils with salt, pepper, and turmeric, which then is fired in the oil. 

Blessings from Elders in Newar Community

The Newar community calls Maghe Sankranti “Ghyo Chaku Sanlhu.“Ghyo means ghee, Chaku means solidified molasses of Jaggery, and Sanhu means the first day of the month (same as Sakranti). As a whole, Ghyo Chaku Sanlhu means celebrating the first day of the month by eating Ghee and Chaku. The Newar community also eats Samay Baji, which consists of flattened rice, soybeans, rice pancakes, buffalo meat, fried boiled egg, lentil pancakes, fried fish, spicy potato salad, and many more. 

Like the Magar Community, Newars remember the deceased on this day. On this day, the younger ones visit elders for blessings and Dakshina (monetary offerings). The elderly people apply mild-hot cooking oil to the heads of children and youngsters, signifying warmth. The Newar Community believes that donating food and bathing in sacred rivers on this day brings good health to people. 

Legends of Maghe Sankranti Festival

Til Madhav Narayan Temple

Maghe Sankranti and sesame seeds (Til in Neapli) are intertwined, as we celebrate the festival by eating ladoos made from them. A myth from Bhadgaon (now Bhaktapur) is tied to Maghe Sankranti. There used to be a merchant selling sesame seeds in the streets of Bhadgaon. His business prospered, bringing him wealth. However, he started noticing that the seeds never finished. 

He searched his warehouse to understand the mystery behind never-ending sesame seeds. He eventually found the statue of Lord Vishnu buried under the pile of seeds. From that day, the people of Bhadgaon established a temple with that statue and started worshipping Lord Vishnu as Til Madhav on Maghe Sankranti. The temple is known as Til Madhav Narayan temple. Worshiping Lord Vishnu on this day is widely believed to bring prosperity, wealth, and an everlasting supply of food. 

Mahabharata Legend of Bhishma Pitamah

The day of Maghe Sankranti, when the winter solstice ends, and the summer solstice begins, is rooted in one of the most famous Hindu epics, the Mahabharata. One of the most prominent characters in this epic is Bhishma Pitamah, son of Ganga. Originally named Devavrata, he gave up his claim to the throne and vowed celibacy to fulfill his father’s wishes. His sacrifice earned him the name and the boon of “Ichha Mrityu,” meaning he could now choose the time of his death.

During the great Mahabharata war, Arjuna deeply wounded Bhishma with innumerable arrows. He fell to the ground, and his body was held above by the bed of arrows. He didn’t die even in such pain because he was waiting for the auspicious day to leave his mortal doby. Eventually, he breathed his last breath on the first day of Uttarayana, which was the first day of Magh. Why didn’t he die instantly and wait for 58 nights in the sun-severing pain? He waited for winter solstice to arrive due to the belief that those who die in the Uttarayana receive moksha (nirvana), escaping the cycle of births and rebirths. So, it is believed that those who die on this day don’t have to go through the continuous cycles of life and death and directly go to heaven.

Significance of Maghe Sankranti in Hindu Astrology

In Hindu astrology, the year is divided into two halves: Dakshinayan and Uttarayan. Dakshinayan is when the sun moves towards the southern hemisphere, and Uttarayan moves towards the northern hemisphere. While Dakshinayan is associated with shorter darkness and introspection, Uttarayan is linked to longer days, light, and growth.  According to Hindu astrology, Uttarayan is the “day of the gods,” while Dakshinayan is the night, making Maghe Sankranti the dawn of the gods. So, the transition to winter solstice (Uttarayan) is considered highly auspicious and holds significant value in Hindu Astrology. 

Nepalese Delicacies to Try During Maghe Sankranti

Any festival without delicacies is no festival at all. Besides gatherings, people celebrate this festival by taking treats from different Nepalese delicacies. Here is the list of food items that are specific to Maghe Sankranti

• Til ko Laddu— Til ko Laddu are sweet balls made by mixing jaggery and sesame seeds, either black or white. Oftentimes, other nuts like almonds and cashews are also added. 
• Bhuja ko Laddu— Bhuja ko Laddu is a sweet ball mixing jaggery and puffed rice. 
• Chaku is a traditional Newari dish made from jaggery, ghee, and nuts cooked until they solidify.
• Ghee— Ghee is a clarified butter. Just like Maghe Sankranti is transitioning to Spring and bringing warmer days, ghee is auspicious food that warms our bodies. 
• Yamori— Yamori is another Newari Cusine, a dumpling made from rice with the fillings of Chaku or Khuwa. 
• Yam, Cassava, and Sweet Potato — Like ghee, tuberous root vegetables protect our bodies from cold weather. Thus, they are eaten in Magh Sankranti. 
• Kheer- Kheer is a creamy rice pudding made with boiling milk, sugar, jaggery, and rice.

Activities To Take Part during Maghe Sankranti

• You can visit Devghat of Nawanparasi or any other sacred river where three rivers meet and dip in it with other devotees.
  
• You can participate in local fairs and cultural events to explore the traditional foods, dance, and music of different communities in Nepal.
  
• On this auspicious day, you can donate. Distributing food, clothes, or other necessities to the needy is believed to bring good fortune. 
  
• In some regions, flying kites is a festive activity in Maghe Sankranti. You can compete in the sport or simply enjoy it from afar. 
  
• At night, bonfires are lit, burning old belongings, signifying the new beginning. You can gather around the fire to enjoy its warmth and that of people.
  
• You can explore pilgrimage sites like Devghat, Panauti, or Gosaikunda, hubs for devotees during Maghe Sankranti. 
  
• You can visit the Taruka village of Nuwakot to observe the bullfighting.

Recommended Places to Visit During Maghe Sankranti

Kathmandu Valley Tour

Many places in Kathmandu Valley, like Patan, Bhaktapur, and Tudinkhel, host cultural events and gatherings. You can also explore the local cafes and restaurants to enjoy the delicacies of Maghe Sankranti. 

Chitwan

In Maghe Sankranti, Chitwan is famous for the Tharu New Year (Maghi). Home to many Tharu people, Chitwan can be a cultural exchange destination during this day, as you can observe traditional Tharu dances and feasts. 

Devghat

Devghat is one of Nepal’s most sacred pilgrimage sites. It is where the Kaligandak and Tirshuli rivers meet. On Maghe Sankranti, thousands nationwide gather here to take a holy dip. 

Gosaikunda Lake

Gosaikunda is a sacred lake in Rasuwa district. Like Devghat, pilgrims visit it to pray and immerse themselves in its serene nature. During Maghe Sankranti, Gosaikunda Lake is one of the most popular treks in Nepal. 

Panauti

Panauti hosts Makar Mela every 12 years on the occasion of Maghe Sankranti. The ancient cities are rich in temples and cultural heritage and can be a lifetime journey to visit during Makar Mela. 

Nuwakot

Another place to visit during Maghe Sankranti is Taaruka village in Nuwakot. The village hosts the clash of the bulls on this day of the year, which can be a spectacle to watch. 

Conclusion

Maghe Sankranti festival is celebrated on the first day of the Magh. It is a festival that celebrates the arrival of the summer solstice when the sun moves towards the north. Transitioning from Poush to the month of Magh, this festival is also a celebration of the end of winter and the arrival of spring. Different communities of Nepal celebrate Maghe Sankranti, and it has a different significance. For the Tharu and Kirant communities, it is the New Year, while for the Magar and Netwar communities, it is a festival to remember the deceased. People take a holy dip, bathe in the sacred rivers, and worship the sun god. Gathering, feasting, singing, and dancing are how people in Nepal celebrate Maghe Sankranti. 

If you are in Nepal during Maghe Sankranti, don’t forget to taste Ghee, Chaku, and yam.