SSC
Makar Sankranti is celebrated by the name of 'Magha Saaji' in which state?
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Answer: Option C — Himachal Pradesh
Detailed Solution
In Himachal Pradesh, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Magha Saaji, in mid-January. "Saaji" is the Pahari word for Sankranti, the day on which the sun moves from one zodiac sign to another, and Magha Saaji marks the beginning of the month of Magha, when the sun enters the zodiac sign of Capricorn (Makara).
Magha Saaji marks the end of the coldest part of winter and the beginning of longer days, as the sun begins its northward journey (Uttarayana). On this day, people wake up early and take a holy dip in rivers, springs and ponds, and they visit temples to offer prayers. They give charity, especially sesame (til), khichdi, blankets and warm clothes, to the poor and to priests. Special dishes such as khichdi with ghee, chukh (a spicy chutney), and sweets made of sesame and jaggery are prepared. People visit relatives and friends, and in some areas, the festival is celebrated with folk songs and dances such as the Nati. The festival is also linked with the beginning of a new season of work in the fields.
Makar Sankranti is celebrated under different names across India:
- Pongal in Tamil Nadu.
- Lohri (the night before) and Maghi in Punjab.
- Uttarayan in Gujarat.
- Uttarayani in Uttarakhand, with a famous fair at Bageshwar.
- Bhogali (Magh) Bihu in Assam.
- Pedda Panduga in Andhra Pradesh.
- Khichdi in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
- Tirmoori among the Sindhis.
- Makara Sankranti in Karnataka and Odisha.
- Poush Sankranti in West Bengal, with the Ganga Sagar Mela.
- Makar Sankranti is one of the few Hindu festivals that follows the solar calendar, so it falls on almost the same date every year, 14 or 15 January.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Uttarakhand celebrates Makar Sankranti as Uttarayani (or Ghughutiya).
- ✗Punjab celebrates it as Maghi, after Lohri.
- ✗Gujarat celebrates it as Uttarayan, with kite flying.
Quick tip
Remember: Magha Saaji = Makar Sankranti in Himachal Pradesh. "Saaji" means Sankranti in the Pahari language.
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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.