Gaiety, fervour mark Makara Sankranthi celebrations

Makara Sankranthi, the festival of harvest, was celebrated with traditional gaiety and fervour in the City on Thursday.

With the City being home to people of diverse cultures from across the country, the festival was celebrated in myriad ways. It was ‘Sankranthi’ for a few, ‘Pongal’ for some and “Lori” for some others.

Two days earlier, people hailing from northern parts of the country celebrated “Lori,” by lighting up the bonfire. “Gachak” (sweet dish made of peanut) was distributed to mark the occasion.

“Whether it is northern or southern part of the country, the festival is observed with distribution of delicacies which contain sesame, dry coconut and peanuts. January and February are believed to be the months when dry weather prevails. Hence delicacies which are rich in oil are consumed during this time,” says Radhakrishna Swamy, a resident of the City.

Both on Wednesday and Thursday, devotees gathered in large numbers at Aiyyappa temples in Rajajinagar, Jalahalli Cross and Vasanthnagar. Special decorations and rituals were part of the celebrations.

Thousands thronged the historic Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple at Kempegowdanagar to witness sun rays falling on the Shivalinga.

The rays fell on the Shivalinga for 47 seconds. Chief priest of the temple, Somasundara Dikshit, said that the rays were on the idol at 5.37 pm. “Last year, the phenomenon occurred at 5.16 pm. With the sun changing the direction, there is a variation in time every year,” he said. He estimated that at least 10,000 devotees visited the temple on Thursday.

Huge LCD screens were erected outside the temple for the live telecast for the phenomenon.
Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and Mayor N Shanthakumari were among those who witnessed the event.

A police official at the spot said that due to security reasons people were not allowed inside the temple.

Roopa, a resident of Ulsoor, who had come to witness the phenomenon, was disappointed since should could not get a glimpse from a close distance. Bulls were made to cross the fire at Kanakanapalya and Malleswaram.