Welcome to the first Indian festival of 2012. India is an agricultural and religious nation, and the year starts with Makar Sankranti, or Pongal for us in Tamil Nadu. Makar is the Sanskrit variant of Capricorn, and thus the celebration  marks transition of the Sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn. For us Pongal marks the first harvest of the year. We worship the Sun, the produce, and the cattle that make it all possible. But since I live in Maharashtra, for us the day always begins and ends watching boys flying kites. So to one and all, wishes for a happy Sankranti, Pongal, Lohri, Uttarayan, Maghi, Magh Bihu, Shishur Saenkraat and Khichdi, depending on how you celebrate the day.

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