# **Indian Festivals that are associated with the Sun.**
India is a diverse country in terms of its culture, religion, and spirituality. With diversity in culture and religion comes diversity in festivals. There are many cultural festivals, many religious ones as well, and we even have harvest festivals. Likewise, we have Sun festivals.
The majority of the Indians follow Sanatan Dharma which says that God is everywhere and in everything. So being the greatest source of light and energy, Indians worship the Sun, showing devotion by celebrating sun festivals. So let's dive into some of them.

**Makar Sankranti**

Makar Sankranti is typically the harvest festival in India. This is the only Indian festival that falls on the same day every year, which is January 14th. However, sometimes with an exception, it is celebrated on January 15th. It is believed that on this day, the sun transitions to the zodiac sign Makar (Capricorn) on its stellar path. The Sun starts to move to the northern hemisphere from this day on.

The good thing about this festival is that people come together and celebrate, irrespective of their religion and caste. Various cultures celebrate it in various ways. People make sweets with Jaggery and sesame called 'Til Ke Laddu.' They meet and greet their family and friends and together engage in kite flying competitions. The festival in Punjab is celebrated as Lodhi and [Uttarayan](https://www.badhaai.com/uttarayan-happy-makar-sankranti-images-wallpaper-and-hd-photo-gallery/) in Gujarat. Similarly, in south India, people from Tamil Nadu celebrate it for 4 days as Pongal, and they worship the Sun as gratitude for providing food, while in Kerala, it is that day when pilgrimages to Sabarimala ends.

Every part of the country celebrates this day in its own way.

**Lohri**

[Lohri](https://www.badhaai.com/why-we-celebrate-lohri-punjabi-lohri-celebration-in-india/) is celebrated in Punjab a day before Makar Sankranti. This is celebrated to welcome spring, and traditionally this day is associated with the harvest of Rabi crops. On this day, people worship Sun and fire.

**Chhath Pooja**

Chhath pooja is thanksgiving to the God sun, and this is an ancient worship practice where deities offer their prayers to the Sun. The day is typically celebrated in north Indian states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand. This folk festival lasts for 4 days and is held according to the lunar calendar and comes before Diwali.

Devotees during this festival follow strict traditional fasting abstaining from drinking water till sunset. They worship the Sun rising and setting by standing in the water for almost the entire day.

**Ratha Saptami**

Falling on the seventh day of the bright half of the month, Maagha (the eleventh month of the [Hindu calendar](https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/hindu-calendar.html) is one of the festivals dedicated to the Sun. The Sun is believed to be the incarnation of Mahavishnu, so this day marks the birth of the incarnation. Thus the day is also called Surya Jayanthi.

**Lastly…**

India's beauty lies in its cultures and festivals. Indian festivals are absolutely amazing to watch. One can see people of almost every caste, religion, and race coming together and enjoying their hearts out.