The greatness of a culture is found in its festivals.
Festivals act like stress busters and help us in balancing our emotions. Life is all about happiness and as human beings connected to society, social interactions with our family and friends bring not only happiness but help us to familiarize with our culture, learn new things, play and grow positively as individuals. Celebrating events and festivals in schools has become an integral part of learning and building a strong cultural belief in a child.
It was a lovely start to the new calendar year by coming together and celebrating virtually the festival of Makara Sankranthi. It started with welcoming the Head of school, Academic coordinator, CCA Coordinators, teachers, and students of other classes. Through the dances and talks, the meaning of this festival was shared.
The students started their assembly by invoking God’s blessing through prayer and dance. Next, the host welcomed the participants to the assembly. To inculcate the habit of reading news and being up to date with the affairs of our society, we had a student who brought the News headlines to the participants.The students then shared a lovely thought for the day – The greatness of a culture is found in its festivals and how it leads to building a string cultural belief in a child.
What are festivals without dances and music? The students then showcased three different dances and the songs for the dance represented the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh/Telangana.
This was followed by students sharing some pointers on Makara Sankranthi.
- Why is it called Makar Sankranthi?
i) Makar Sankranti refers to the transition of the Sun into Makara Rashi (Capricorn). It is a specific solar day in the Hindu calendar, which is usually observed in January,
every year.
ii) It is common for people to take a
holy dip in rivers and it is generally believed that doing so would absolve them of their past sins.
- Which god is worshiped on this day?
The Sun god is worshiped on Makar Sankranti. Devotees on Sankranti also worship Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi.
3. Which crop is harvested?
Karnataka – Sugar cane
Tamil Nadu – Rice, turmeric, Sugarcane
Punjab – Wheat (Rabi crop)
In other states People also harvest Sesame.
4. Why do people fly kites on this day?
The tradition of kite flying is for a healthy exposure to the early morning sun. The rays are very healthy and provide a rich source of Vitamin D.The sunlight also helps in getting rid of skin infections and diseases. The sun rays act as a major disinfectant helping in curing colds.
5. Who all celebrate this festival?
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh – Makara Sankranthi
Tamil Nadu – Pongal
Assam – Magh Bihu
Gujarat – Uttarayan
Punjab – Maghi
Other Asian countries
Nepal – Maghe Sankranthi
Thailand – Songkran
Thingyan – Myanmar
6. Why is it special for the farmers?
The festival of Makar Sankranti is a celebration of human beings’ oneness with nature. It is a special time for the farmers as it marks the harvest season. It is also significant for people in general as it reminds them of the importance of farms, nature and organic food.
The class teacher, Academic Coordinator, and CCA Coordinator complimented the performance of the students.
The assembly ended with a beautiful vote of thanks rendered by a student showing his thankfulness to all the attendees and the presenters.
