SSC
Makar Sankranti is celebrated as 'Pedda Panduga' (the big festival) in which state?
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Answer: Option A — Andhra Pradesh
Detailed Solution
In Andhra Pradesh, Makar Sankranti is the biggest festival of the year and is called "Pedda Panduga", which means "the big festival" in Telugu. It is celebrated in mid-January and is also an important festival in Telangana.
Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh is celebrated over four days, each with its own customs:
Bhogi: On the first day, people light bonfires early in the morning and throw old and unwanted items into them, symbolising a fresh start. Children are showered with "bhogi pallu", a mixture of the regi fruit (jujube), coins and flowers, as a blessing.
Sankranti: On the main day, people wear new clothes, worship the Sun god, offer prayers to their ancestors and prepare special dishes. Women draw large and colourful rangoli designs called "muggulu" in front of their homes and place "gobbemmalu" (balls of cow dung decorated with flowers) on them.
Kanuma: On the third day, cattle are worshipped and decorated, as thanksgiving for their help in farming.
Mukkanuma: The fourth day is celebrated with feasts, often with non-vegetarian dishes.
During the festival, the "Haridasu" (devotional singers) go from house to house singing songs in praise of Vishnu, and the "Gangireddulu" (decorated bulls) are taken around by their owners, who play the nadaswaram and make the bulls perform. Kite flying, cock fights (in some areas) and family reunions are also part of the celebrations. Families living in cities return to their native villages for the festival.
Makar Sankranti marks the sun's entry into the zodiac sign of Capricorn (Makara) and the beginning of its northward journey (Uttarayana). It is celebrated as Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Lohri and Maghi in Punjab, Bhogali Bihu in Assam, Uttarayan in Gujarat, Khichdi in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and Sakraat in Odisha.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Karnataka celebrates Sankranti with the exchange of "ellu-bella" (sesame and jaggery).
- ✗Kerala celebrates the Makaravilakku at Sabarimala at this time.
- ✗Odisha celebrates Makar Sankranti as Makara Sankranti and Sakraat.
Quick tip
Remember: Pedda Panduga and Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh, and remember its four days: Bhogi, Sankranti, Kanuma and Mukkanuma.
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Festivals & Fairs of India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Festivals & Fairs of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the religious, harvest, tribal and cultural festivals of India, the fairs (melas) held across the country, and the states, communities and seasons linked to them. It also includes festivals listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, such as Kumbh Mela and Durga Puja in Kolkata. Most questions ask which state celebrates a festival, which tribe it belongs to, or what event it marks. Harvest festivals are especially common: Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Onam (Kerala), Bihu (Assam), Lohri and Baisakhi (Punjab) and Nuakhai (Odisha). Fairs such as the Pushkar camel fair (Rajasthan) and the Sonepur cattle fair (Bihar) are also frequently tested. Revise festivals state by state. Practise the festivals and fairs questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.