All over the country Makar Sankranti Bhogi is celebrated a day before. Elderly persons in the house always advise women to wash their hair on the day. After worshiping the deity, tasty bhaji is prepared at home using mixed seasonal vegetables. While making sesame seeded millet bread to eat with this vegetable. Because the body needs warm foods during cold days. Consuming sesame seeds and different vegetables has many benefits for the body. A festival called Pongal is celebrated for three days before Sankranti in Tamil Nadu. Apart from this, Bhogi festival is very important in South India. This day is considered to be a symbol of enjoyment and happiness. The focus is on the new while ignoring the old. Let us know the importance of Bhogi. Watch the video.(Photo courtesy – pinterest)
Bhogi is celebrated on the day before Makar Sankranti. Bhogi literally means to enjoy. Some special vegetables come during this period. A mix of vegetables such as pavta, wal, peas, turi pods, gram, bor etc. is made in it. Which is called Bhogi Bhaji. This vegetable is eaten with sesame seeded millet bread. Special vegetables are relished on this occasion. Bhogi festival is celebrated not only in Maharashtra but also all over the country. This festival is considered to be the blessing of Lord Indra for the crops in the fields. It is also said that ‘he who does not eat is always sick’. Therefore, it is said that a person who does not consume this vegetable on the day of Bhogi misses out on its health benefits. Therefore, vegetables should be consumed in the diet on the day of Bhogi.
According to legend, Lord Indra had prayed that the earth would grow bountiful crops and grow rich. Therefore, it is believed that the festival of Bhogi is celebrated so that the earth will be blessed with riches and crops throughout the year. This festival is celebrated not only in Maharashtra but in every state of India in different ways. All festivals have special importance in Hinduism. Also Makar Sankrant is on the second day of Bhogi. After Sugad Poojan at home, women are given Haldikunku and Vaan. The message is ‘take sesame jaggery and talk sweetly’.
