Talk:Makar Sankranti

Makara sankranti vs winter solstice
Winter solstice falls around sometime in Dec 21-22nd. According to modern calendar, makara sankranti should be over in December 21-22 every year.

The confusion comes from a different source: although the day starts getting longer after 21-22nd Dec, the sun continues to rise late. But around Jan 14-15, sun will start start getting up early. However, day has already become 45 min longer. There is a difference between the astrological calendar and modern astronomical observations (corrected calendars are available but not widely used)chami 03:58, 14 January 2017 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ck.mitra (talk • contribs)


 * They are two different points in time. Winter solstice is indeed Dec 21/22 when the Sun reaches overhead the Tropic of Capricorn. Makara Sankranti is the day when the Sun moves into Makara rashi. That happens on Jan 14/15. Winter solstice date is slowly changing due to the precession of the equinox; Makara Sankranti date remains unchanged (because rashi are sidereal elements). For more details see here.Kishorekumar 62 (talk) 18:27, 6 January 2022 (UTC)

Evaluating the reference used
'''statement: "Makar Sankranti is one of the few ancient Indian festivals that has been observed according to solar cycles, while most festivals are set by the lunar cycle of the lunisolar Hindu calendar'''."

Reference https://www.drikpanchang.com/sankranti/makar-sankranti-date-time.html?year=2016

Conclusion: Nature of this reference is very weak. The way eclipse cannot be part of any Calendar, Makar Sankranti is not part of regular Calendar per say. However it may be announced along with Calendars the way eclipses are announced.

statement:

Being a festival that celebrates the solar cycle, it almost always falls on the same Gregorian date every year (January 14),[4] except in rare years when the date shifts by a day for that year.

No reference available.
 * Makara sankranti is indeed fixed based on the Sun. Most other Hindu festivals are fixed based on the Moon (masa, paksha and tithi are used to define the date). Gregorian calendar year is solar. Hence, indeed the Gregorian calendar date of Makara Sankranti does not change year-to-year.Kishorekumar 62 (talk) 18:36, 6 January 2022 (UTC)

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