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Wishing u a very Happy Lohri , A blessed Pongal & Prosperous Makar Sakranti May this festive season bring u all lots of Joy and good luck. 
Makar SankrantiOrigin of name & Significance
Sankranthi means transmigration of Sun from one Rāshi (zodiac in Indian astrology) to the other. Hence there are 12 such Sankrantis in all. However, the Sankranthi festival usually refers to Makara Sankaranti, or the transition of the Sun from Dhanu rashi (Sagittarius) to Makara rashi (Capricorn). For this purpose, the Zodiac signs are considered sidereally, and not tropically, as in western astronomy, thus accounting for the Earth's precession. The festival therefore takes place around 21 days after the tropical winter solstice (between December 20 and 23rd) that marks the starting of Uttarayana, which means northward journey of Sun.
While the traditional Indian Calendar is based on lunar positions, Sankranti is a solar event. So while dates of all Hindu festivals keep changing as per the roman calendar, the date of Makar Sankranti remains constant, 14 January. Makar Sankranti is celebrated in the Hindu Calendar month of Magha.
There is another significance of this day - after this day the days start becoming longer and warmer and thus the chill of winter declines.
Sankranti is celebrated all over South Asia with some regional variations:
In India, it is known by different names and celebrated with different customs in different parts of the country:
Makar Sankranti or Sankranti - Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, orissa, Manipur, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Goa
Uttarayan- Uttaranchal,Gujarat and Rajasthan
Lohri - Himachal Pradesh, Punjab
Pongal - Tamilnadu
Makara Vilakku Festival - Sabarimala Temple (Kerala)
In other countries too the day is celebrated under different names and in different ways:
In Nepal,
Tharu people - Maghi
Other people - Maghe Sankranti or Maghe Sakrati
In Thailand - สงกรานต์ Songkran
In Laos - Pi Ma Lao
In Myanmar - Thingyan
1. The Puranas say that on this day Surya (Sun) visits the house of his son Shani(Saturn), who is the swami of Makar Rashi (Zodiac Capricorn). These father & son do not ordinarily get along nicely, but in spite of any difference between each other Lord Sun makes it a point to meet each other on this day. Father in fact himself comes to his son’s house, for a month. This day symbolized the importance of special relationship of father & son. It is the son who has the responsibility to carry forward his fathers dream and the continuity of the family.
2. From Uttarayana starts the ‘day’ of Devatas, while dakshinayana is said to be the ‘night’ of devatas, so most of the auspicious things are done during this time. Uttarayana is also called as Devayana, and the next half is called Pitrayana.
3. It was on this day when Lord Vishnu ended the ever increasing terror of the Asuras by finishing them off and burying their heads under the Mandara Parvata. So this occasion also represents the end of negativities and beginning of an era of righteous living.
4. The great savior of his ancestors, Maharaja Bhagiratha, did great Tapasya to bring Gangaji down on the earth for the redemption of 60,000 sons of Maharaj Sagar, who were burnt to ashes at the Kapil Muni Ashram, near the present day Ganga Sagar. It was on this day that Bhagirath finally did tarpan with the Ganges water for his unfortunate ancestors and thereby liberated them from the curse. After visiting the Patala for the redemption of the curse of Bhagirath’s ancestors Gangaji finally merged in the Sagar. Even today a very big Ganga Sagar Mela is organized every year on this day at the confluence of River Ganges and the Bay of Bengal. Lakhs take dip in the water and do tarpan for their ancestors.
We salute such a great devotee & benefactor of his ancestors. One who can express such gratitude to his ancestors, work with tireless resolve to redeem the pride, pledges & resolves of his forefathers, alone possess a personality, which the history reveals to be a true benefactor of the world too. A person who has severed his own roots gets soon rooted out in the flow of time. Moral of the story is to see to it that the roots of the tree of ‘our’ life are not only intact but nourished well, thereafter alone the tree blooms & flourishes.
There is another spiritually symbolic aspect of this story. The 60,000 cursed son of Maharaj Sagar represent our thoughts, who become dull & dead-like because of uncultured & blind ambition. Redemption of such people is only by the waters of Gangaji, brought down ‘to’ & later ‘from’ the Himalayas with great tapasya. This represents dedicated hard work to get the redeeming Brahma-Vidya, which alone enlightens, enthuses & enlivens the life of anyone.
5. Another well-known reference of this day came when the great grandsire of Mahabharata fame, Bhishma, declared his intent to leave his mortal coil on this day. He had the boon of Ichha-Mrityu from his father, so he kept lying on the bed of arrows till this day and then left his mortal coil on Makar Sankranti day. It is believed that the person, who dies during the period of Uttarayana, becomes free from transmigration. So this day was seen as a sure-shot Good Luck day to start your journey or endeavors to the higher realms beyond.
Sankranthi means transmigration of Sun from one Rāshi (zodiac in Indian astrology) to the other. Hence there are 12 such Sankrantis in all. However, the Sankranthi festival usually refers to Makara Sankaranti, or the transition of the Sun from Dhanu rashi (Sagittarius) to Makara rashi (Capricorn). For this purpose, the Zodiac signs are considered sidereally, and not tropically, as in western astronomy, thus accounting for the Earth's precession. The festival therefore takes place around 21 days after the tropical winter solstice (between December 20 and 23rd) that marks the starting of Uttarayana, which means northward journey of Sun.
While the traditional Indian Calendar is based on lunar positions, Sankranti is a solar event. So while dates of all Hindu festivals keep changing as per the roman calendar, the date of Makar Sankranti remains constant, 14 January. Makar Sankranti is celebrated in the Hindu Calendar month of Magha.
There is another significance of this day - after this day the days start becoming longer and warmer and thus the chill of winter declines.
Sankranti is celebrated all over South Asia with some regional variations:
In India, it is known by different names and celebrated with different customs in different parts of the country:
Makar Sankranti or Sankranti - Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, orissa, Manipur, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and GoaUttarayan- Uttaranchal,Gujarat and Rajasthan
Lohri - Himachal Pradesh, Punjab
Pongal - Tamilnadu
Makara Vilakku Festival - Sabarimala Temple (Kerala)
In other countries too the day is celebrated under different names and in different ways:In Nepal,
Tharu people - Maghi
Other people - Maghe Sankranti or Maghe Sakrati
In Thailand - สงกรานต์ Songkran
In Laos - Pi Ma Lao
In Myanmar - Thingyan
1. The Puranas say that on this day Surya (Sun) visits the house of his son Shani(Saturn), who is the swami of Makar Rashi (Zodiac Capricorn). These father & son do not ordinarily get along nicely, but in spite of any difference between each other Lord Sun makes it a point to meet each other on this day. Father in fact himself comes to his son’s house, for a month. This day symbolized the importance of special relationship of father & son. It is the son who has the responsibility to carry forward his fathers dream and the continuity of the family.
2. From Uttarayana starts the ‘day’ of Devatas, while dakshinayana is said to be the ‘night’ of devatas, so most of the auspicious things are done during this time. Uttarayana is also called as Devayana, and the next half is called Pitrayana.
3. It was on this day when Lord Vishnu ended the ever increasing terror of the Asuras by finishing them off and burying their heads under the Mandara Parvata. So this occasion also represents the end of negativities and beginning of an era of righteous living.
4. The great savior of his ancestors, Maharaja Bhagiratha, did great Tapasya to bring Gangaji down on the earth for the redemption of 60,000 sons of Maharaj Sagar, who were burnt to ashes at the Kapil Muni Ashram, near the present day Ganga Sagar. It was on this day that Bhagirath finally did tarpan with the Ganges water for his unfortunate ancestors and thereby liberated them from the curse. After visiting the Patala for the redemption of the curse of Bhagirath’s ancestors Gangaji finally merged in the Sagar. Even today a very big Ganga Sagar Mela is organized every year on this day at the confluence of River Ganges and the Bay of Bengal. Lakhs take dip in the water and do tarpan for their ancestors.We salute such a great devotee & benefactor of his ancestors. One who can express such gratitude to his ancestors, work with tireless resolve to redeem the pride, pledges & resolves of his forefathers, alone possess a personality, which the history reveals to be a true benefactor of the world too. A person who has severed his own roots gets soon rooted out in the flow of time. Moral of the story is to see to it that the roots of the tree of ‘our’ life are not only intact but nourished well, thereafter alone the tree blooms & flourishes.
There is another spiritually symbolic aspect of this story. The 60,000 cursed son of Maharaj Sagar represent our thoughts, who become dull & dead-like because of uncultured & blind ambition. Redemption of such people is only by the waters of Gangaji, brought down ‘to’ & later ‘from’ the Himalayas with great tapasya. This represents dedicated hard work to get the redeeming Brahma-Vidya, which alone enlightens, enthuses & enlivens the life of anyone.
5. Another well-known reference of this day came when the great grandsire of Mahabharata fame, Bhishma, declared his intent to leave his mortal coil on this day. He had the boon of Ichha-Mrityu from his father, so he kept lying on the bed of arrows till this day and then left his mortal coil on Makar Sankranti day. It is believed that the person, who dies during the period of Uttarayana, becomes free from transmigration. So this day was seen as a sure-shot Good Luck day to start your journey or endeavors to the higher realms beyond.
Kite Points the Path to SuccessThe will of Almighty God and collective human effort are the two ingredients of success. A kite flies high in the sky. Why does the kite fly at such a height? The boy flying the kite would instantly reply "Yes, I am the cause for letting the kite fly high". Will the wind be silent? It will counter with the words 'I'. 'It is I alone who am showing right direction and causing it to fly'. The long string in the boy's hand will interrupt and say, "If I am snapped, what does the air do and how can the kite fly? I am the propeller for the kite to fly", so saying it would retaliate. Immediately, the tail of the kite fluttering at the bottom would quibble "what's the use of all of you, I alone did keep it right and it is all due to my effort that the kite does not turn upside down". Yes, for the kite to fly in the air, tail, string and the hand are all equally important.The five fingers folded together make a powerful fist. However arduous the task might be, success can be achieved by collective effort. It is made possible only when everyone shoulders equal responsibility with an honest intent. We, the humans, must know our duty and responsibility and strive to accomplish it with unity, co-ordination and sincerity. Just as a long string makes the kite fly, so does the love of Baba forms the support and the base to our labour and ensures our success
"Shri SaiSatCharita ---> Leads you in Sai's unique Path
Shree SatChidananda Sadguru Sainadh Maharaj Ki Jai
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