SANKRANTI

Every year is divided into two halves known as ayana, the current six months period either
Uttarayana or Dakshinayana. Uttarayana begins on the day of the winter solstice when the sun begins
its apparent northward journey. Dakshinayana begins on the first day of the summer solstice marking
the sun’s southward movement. The two days commencing the two ayanas are considered sacred and
known as punya kala. “the times of great merit”

The Makar Sankranti is related with position of sun to a certain zodiac sign, hence it relates
with the Solar Calender, in difference to other festival dates which associate with lunar movement and
position.

Makara Sankranti, is a festival day in the Hindu calendar, in reference to deity Surya deva. It
is observed each year in January. It marks the first day of sun's transit into the Makara, marking the end
of the month with the winter solstice and the start of longer days. It is celebrated all over India
typically on 14th or 15th January. From this day in the Tropic of Capricorn, Makara Sankramana as it
is called, the Sun moves from South to North, and, so this day is celebrated as an auspicious festival.
This northward journey of the Sun is also known as Uttarayana.
 As per the seasons Sankranti or Pongal is also a harvest festival and is celebrated during the
early stages of the agricultural season when crops are sown, hard work is done, and it is a time to
rejoice.

The spiritual significance of all festivals, including Sankranti, is especially important. As the
Sun moves toward the north, what does the north signify? The north signifies the direction our minds
have to go to reach realization or liberation from this cycle of birth and death. This Uttarayana is the
key for spiritual progress. Dakshinayana is known as sadhana pada, In terms of sadhana Dakshinayana
is for purification, Uttarayana is for enlightenment.

Uttarayana as the period between the Makara Sankranti (which currently occurs around
January 14) and Karka Sankranti (which currently occurs around July 21). The term Uttarayana is
derived from two different Sanskrit words "uttara" (North) and "ayana" (movement) thus indicating a
semantic of the northward movement of the Earth on the celestial sphere. This movement begins to
occur a day after the winter solstice continues for a six-month period through to the summer solstice.

The complement of Uttarayana is Dakshinayana, i.e. the period between Karka sankranti and
Makara Sankranti as per the sidereal zodiac and between the Summer solstice and Winter solstice as
per the tropical zodiac.

“Japaa Kusumasankasham Kasyapeyam Maha Dhyuthim

Thamorim Sarvapaapghnam Pranatosmi Divakaram”

जपाकुसुम संकाशं काश्यपेयं महदद्युति म् I

मोरिं सर्वपापघ्नं प्रण ोS स्मि म दिदर्वाक म् II १ II
Sun Analemma

Have you ever seen this figure-8 on a globe and wondered what it is? It is simply this: if you could
record the position of the sun in the sky at the same time every day you would notice that the sun takes
a rather strange path. This figure-8 path that the sun makes in the sky is called the analemma.

This Sun Analemma was recorded with the help of Stellarium Astronomy Software on Linux System.
Here The Location of the observer on the earth is set to Visakhapatnam in India,

The above Sun Analemma has been recorded with daily sunrise time fixed to 7:00AM and with fixed
location and dates between Sankranthi 2019 and 2020, The Software will record the sun’s every day
position (Sun’s Analemma) combining both Uttarayana and Dakshinayana of every Sankranti (New
Year)

Festival Makar Sankranti 2019 will be celebrated on Tuesday, 15th January, 2019.
In 2019, Karka Sankranti will begin on 16th July.

https://youtu.be/8JVfloEKpdU

Keywords: SANKRANTHI, AYANA, UTTARAYANA, DAKSHINAYANA, ANALEMMA,

MAKARA SANKRATHI, KARKA SANKRANTI, STELLARIUM.