Makar Sankranti is just around the corner and this gujju household is in full preparation mode. Makar Sankranti or Uttarayan as popularly known in Gujarat is a day of fun and celebration complete with lights, colours and challenges. The sky is dotted with different hues of colourful kites that become a bone of contention between youngsters looking to soar into the sky. Similarly inside the house one can see an array of colours in the form of mouth-watering delicacies.
Unlike most Hindu festivals that follow the lunar motion, Makar Sankranti follows the sun’s transition into the zodiac sign of Capricorn and thus is celebrated on January 14th each year. Though the day is celebrated all over the country, each state has its own local flavour attached to the celebrations; that is symbolic to the beginning of the spring season.
Year-on-year my mother has celebrated this festival with aplomb in our homes, even though we have been far away from our home state. Just like every other festival, the first thing done is a thorough cleaning the home and most importantly the kitchen. So this year Heer and me, did clean and decorate our home with the assistance of our house help making sure it is festive-ready. Whilst cleaning we cleared out things that we haven’t used in a while to share them with those who need them.
No celebration is complete without food, ‘undhiyo’ preparation will dominate our kitchen like every gujarati kitchen. Undhiyo; a green vegetable curry full of assorted beans, roots, seasonal vegetables and methi tikkis is a huge hit amongst all young and old. And since kite-flying is a day-long adventure, fun foods like puffed rice balls and dhoklas are also prepared. The other two dishes that may also make the cut are Daal-Bhatti Churma and jalebis.
Looks like I'm already late and need to get a head start so, here to a wonderful day. Happy Sankranti!
Until next time,
~ Heena
