Regional Significance of Pongal

The harvest festival of Pongal has its unique regional significance. The festival of Pongal is celebrated all over India on the same day, but has different names in each region. However, being a harvest festival, bonfires and feasts are the main thing common to all the celebrations of this festival. Almost all the states of India celebrate this festival with varied festivities including singing and dancing. In northern India, the festival is known as Lohri while in Assam it is called Bhogali Bihu, in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar it is known as Sankranti, and in Andhra Pradesh it is celebrated as Bhogi, when each household puts on display its collection of dolls. Following is the state wise regional significance of the Pongal festival. In Maharashtra, the flying of kites in the sky marks the festival of Makar Sankranti. On this day, people exchange homemade delicacies like til and gur laddoos and wish each other. A newly wed woman gives away oil, cotton and sesame seeds to mark the auspicious day of Makar Sankranti. In Gujarat, also Makar Sankranti is kite-flying day. Traditionally celebrated on the 13th or 14th January. Every family is seen flying kite outside.