Makar Sankranti 2022: Mumbaikars bring in the festival with family, food and customs

For Madhavi Somane, this Makar Sankranti will be her third after marriage and she is as excited as she had been when newlywed. While the last two years in her new home were really special, this time around she has planned an elaborate affair, which she says will be a three-day celebration, with her family. "I will have a haldi kumkum ceremony and will also distribute small beautiful mirrors while exchanging gifts. I am decorating my house with small clouds and kites wall hangings," she shares. Being one to make the most of festivals, the entertainment professional will also be making traditional sweets such as tilgul laddoos (laddoos made from sesame seeds, peanuts and jaggery) and a special menu of Maharashtrian food for dinner.

The last two years affected by waves of Covid-19 have brought about shifts in how people celebrate festivals. Now that the pandemic has become a part of our lives, many are finding joy in the smaller things. Every year, Makar Sankranti is celebrated in mid-January. Known by different names around the country, Mumbaikars are making the most of their family time by following tradition and dressing up in their best, feasting on tilgul laddoos and even flying kites.

Madhavi Somane (right) explains newly-married women dress in black saris and ornaments made of sugar which is called 'tilachi wadi'. Photo: Madhavi Somane

Somane explains the traditional rituals of the three days, says, "The celebration on the first day is known as ‘bhogi', we worship the Sun god and eat 'bhogichi bhaji' which is a mixture of white sesame seeds, desiccated coconut and mixed vegetables, with bajra rotis."

For the second day, which is celebrated as Makar Sankranti, the 30-year-old says the Maharashtrian community performs ‘sugad-pooja'. "This includes five small red- or black-coloured earthen pots. Each of them contains bor (red berries), small sugarcane sticks, diced carrots, whole/shelled peanuts, tilgul laddoos, chickpeas and a coin as an offering."

On the third and final day, men and women in the community dress in black kurtas and saris and exchange tilgul laddoos. "Newly-married women dress in black saris and ornaments made of sugar which is called 'tilachi wadi'. Women sing songs, dance and exchange different gift items like household items and clothes," she adds.

Borivali-based home chef Kalpana Talpade is equally enthusiastic about the festival and the excitement is palpable because this year, she gets to celebrate with her two grandchildren, who were born in 2021. "I have stitched purple parkar cholis (traditional dresses) for both my granddaughters this year. Since I give something new every time somebody new enters the family, I will also be giving them silver vessels, as it is done in our culture. I have also made kurmura laddoos for them and laddoos shaped like tops for them to spend time with," says the 68-year-old, while making her last batch of tilgul laddoos for the festival. This time around, she has made as many as 150 laddoos. Last year, she had given her daughter-in-law a traditional black sari with gold ornaments too.

Home chef Kalpana Talpade has stitched parkar cholis, made kurmura laddoos and laddoos shaped like tops for her grandchildren. Photo: Kalpana Talpade

Food is a top priority for Borivali-based Talpade, who says she has planned to make quite a few dishes but it depends on who will be visiting her home for the festival. She explains, "Being from the Pathare Prabhu community, I am going to make the punchmelli bhaji, a dish that is similar to the Gujarati undhiyu, and is made with seasonal vegetables or meat." While her children and their extended families will make an appearance, she is also expecting her brother to visit this time around. Together, they plan to fly kites on the terrace.

Incidentally, while many have had a rough two years, Talpade prefers to look at the positives because it was during this time that her children got married and also had their children, and she has found joy in pampering them. A fact that is clearly evident in the way she is bringing in Makar Sankranti this time around. It is not only Talpade but also Somane who is leaving no stone unturned in celebrating happy moments - just like many other Mumbaikars must be hoping to do this time around for the festival.