Makar Sankranti is the day when the glorious Sun God begins its ascendancy and entry into the Northern Hemisphere, thus signifying an event wherein the Sun God seems to wish the children ‘Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya’ – “May you go higher & higher, to more & more Light and never to Darkness.”
When I think of Makar Sankrantri though, two things come to my mind. The first is the sweet ‘til ladoos that we get to eat and the second is the flying of kites! I tried to think about how these two simple rituals give a higher meaning to our lives. The sweet ladoos signify that one has to eat them and speak sweet things. Let there be only sweetness in your speech!

“The wise ones fashioned speech with their thought, sifting it as grain is sifted through a sieve.” ~ Buddha

I think doing so would definitely prevent a lot of misunderstandings and broken relations!

“Please God, make my words today sweet and tender, for tomorrow I may have to eat them.”

The second one ~ flying kites! Doing a free association of the mind to these words what I think of is freedom, flight, limitless potential, and achieving the impossible! Well, sounds like the perfect way to begin our year!

The best way to achieve is to be extraordinary and persistent!

The kite – made out of delicate paper which tears if held too harshly, two thin sticks of bamboo that can be broken with a flick of the fingers, & glue made out of home-cooked glutinous rice. Would one expect such a contraption to soar in the sky? It does, doesn’t it?

Whatever the circumstances and obstacles ~ If you think you can, you can!

This Makar Sankranti – one of the most positive and motivating festivals – I pledge to make a difference in the society!

So what’s your pledge?