In short
- Makar Sankranti 2027
- Friday, 15 January 2027
- Countdown
- 70 days to goCounted from Fri, 6 Nov
- Tithi
- Paush Shukla SaptamiPushya Shukla Saptami (amanta)
- Makar Sankranti 2028
- Saturday, 15 January 2028
- Observed for
- A good harvest, sweet relationships and health
When is Makar Sankranti 2027? Makar Sankranti 2027 is on Friday, 15 January 2027. It falls on Pushya Shukla Saptami (Paush Shukla Saptami in the North Indian count); in Bengaluru the tithi runs from Thu, 14 Jan, 09:07 PM to Thu, 14 Jan, 09:07 PM IST. It is also called Makara Sankranti, Makara Sankranthi and Sankranti (ಮಕರ ಸಂಕ್ರಾಂತಿ, ಸಂಕ್ರಾಂತಿ ಹಬ್ಬ).
What is it? The day the Sun enters Makara — Karnataka’s harvest habba.
Why do families keep it? Uttarayana begins: the Sun turns north, days grow longer, and the new harvest is thanked for.
What happens on the day? An early bath, Surya puja, pongal, ellu-bella shared with neighbours, and the cattle bathed and decorated.
When to observe Makara Sankranti in 2027
| Sun enters the rashi (sankramana) | Thu, 14 Jan, 09:07 PMIf this is after sunset, the habba and the punya kala are kept the next morning. |
|---|---|
| Sunrise | 06:46 AM |
| Sunset | 06:12 PM |
| Rahu Kaala — keep aside | 11:03 AM – 12:29 PM |
Makar Sankranti dates by year
| Year | Date | Tithi |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Friday, 15 January 2027 | Pushya Shukla Saptami |
| 2028 | Saturday, 15 January 2028 | Pushya Krishna Chaturthi |
| 2029 | Sunday, 14 January 2029 | Pushya Amavasya |
Worked out from the tithi for Bengaluru. Official holiday lists for coming years can differ by a day, so check yours once it is published.
What Makara Sankranti means
Ellu-bella
Sesame, jaggery, roasted gram, dry coconut and peanuts mixed together, with sugar figures (sakkare achchu) and a piece of sugarcane — exchanged so that the year ahead is sweet between neighbours.
Uttarayana
Tradition counts the six months from Makara Sankranti as the devas’ day. Bhishma waited on his bed of arrows for Uttarayana before leaving his body.
Kicchu haayisuvudu
In Old Mysore villages, decorated cattle are walked over a bonfire of hay in the evening — a test of courage and a prayer for their health.
Makara Sankranti puja at home, step by step
Getting ready
- 1Clean the house and draw a large rangoli, often with a pot of pongal drawn in it.
- 2Prepare ellu-bella and sakkare achchu the day before.
The puja
- 1Bathe early — many add a little sesame to the water.
- 2Offer arghya to the Sun and worship Surya with red flowers.
- 3Cook pongal (sweet and khara) and offer it as naivedya.
- 4Give ellu-bella, a sugarcane piece and a banana to neighbours and elders.
Closing the puja
- 1In the evening, worship the cattle if you keep them.
- 2Give sesame, jaggery or a blanket to someone in need — Sankranti dana.
What to keep ready for Makara Sankranti
Must have
| What | How much | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Sesame, jaggery, roasted gram, dry coconut, peanuts | For ellu-bella | Shared with neighbours |
| Sugarcane | A few pieces | Naivedya and sharing |
| Rice, moong dal and jaggery | For pongal | Naivedya |
| Copper vessel, water, red flowers | 1 | Arghya to the Sun |
Good to have
| What | How much | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Sakkare achchu (sugar figures) | — | Part of the ellu-bella plate |
Family and regional customs
| What | How much | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Kabbu (sugarcane) and avare kayi | — | Sankranti season foods in Old Mysore |
Good practice, and what to avoid
Please do
- Share ellu-bella with neighbours, even ones you rarely speak to.
- Give to someone in need.
Best avoided
- Fly kites with glass-coated (manja) string — it kills birds and hurts people.
Chants for Makara Sankranti
Surya mantra
ॐ घृणिः सूर्याय नमः
ಕನ್ನಡ ಲಿಪಿಯಲ್ಲಿ
ಓಂ ಘೃಣಿಃ ಸೂರ್ಯಾಯ ನಮಃ
oṃ ghṛṇiḥ sūryāya namaḥ
What it means: A bow to the radiant Sun.
Makara Sankranti from region to region
Karnataka
Ellu-bella, sugar figures, pongal and kicchu haayisuvudu for cattle.
Tamil Nadu
Four days of Pongal — Bhogi, Thai Pongal, Mattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal.
Gujarat
Uttarayan, with the sky full of kites.
Have the Makara Sankranti puja done for you
Two ways to do it. At a temple: the pandit takes your family’s name and gotra in the sankalpa and sends you the photos and video. At home: a pandit from our panel comes to you with the vidhi, and you sit for the puja yourself.
Where this comes from
- Surya Siddhanta tradition for the sankramana and its punya kala.
- Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva and Anushasana Parva, for Bhishma waiting for Uttarayana.
- Karnataka village customs of ellu-bella and kicchu haayisuvudu.
How we work out the dates: Stuti Mandir’s own panchanga engine places the Sun and Moon (Lahiri ayanamsa) and checks the tithi against sunrise, sunset and moonrise in Bengaluru, in IST. A printed panchanga may differ by a minute or so. Where your family’s panchanga or your purohita says otherwise, go with them.
Questions devotees ask us
When is Makar Sankranti 2027?
Friday, 15 January 2027. In Bengaluru, Pushya Shukla Saptami (amanta; Paush Shukla Saptami in the North Indian count) begins Thu, 14 Jan, 09:07 PM and ends Thu, 14 Jan, 09:07 PM IST.
How many days are left until Makar Sankranti 2027?
70 days, counted from Friday, 6 November 2026. Makar Sankranti 2027 is on Friday, 15 January 2027.
When is Makar Sankranti 2028?
Saturday, 15 January 2028, on Pushya Krishna Chaturthi, worked out for Bengaluru.
What is Makar Sankranti also called?
Makara Sankranti, Makara Sankranthi, Sankranti, Pongal, Uttarayana and Ellu Birodu; in Indian scripts, ಮಕರ ಸಂಕ್ರಾಂತಿ, ಸಂಕ್ರಾಂತಿ ಹಬ್ಬ, मकर संक्रांति.
Will Mysuru and Delhi keep Makara Sankranti on the same day?
Mostly yes. But the sun rises and sets at different times in different towns, and a habba is kept on the day its tithi is running at the right hour — so timings shift, and once in a while the date does too. Change the town above to see yours.
Why is Sankranti sometimes on the 15th?
It follows the moment the Sun enters Makara. If that is after sunset, the habba is kept the next day. The exact time for your town is above.