Nashik
Amidst popular saying of Tilgul ghya, god god bola and daylong kite-flying fervour after moving over Christmas plum cakes and New Year celebrations, the Makar Sankranti festival marking the beginning of the harvest season and transition of the sun from the zodiac sign to Makara, or Capricorn, celebrated with great merriment across the city yesterday.
Since morning the entire city was gripped in kite-flying fervour with victory cries of Katli Re Katli… Kai Po Che, after two years of the pandemic curbs.
In the daylong festival, the colourful kites bobbled up and down in the blue skies. Amid sounds of DJ, music, songs, residents flocked to their apartments’ terraces, open spaces, grounds and gallis in the morning and stayed until late in the evening. At many places, the terrace were well stocked with food.
Thousands of kite fliers of all age groups, were seen flying kites in the city’s Ravivar Karanja, Main Road, Ganjmal, Navin Nashik, Meri-Mhasrul, Panchavati, Satpur, Nashik Road and other suburb areas.
The excitement of youngsters cutting each other’s kites was witnessed throughout the day. While the competition was on among the little ones to catch the cut kites.
In the evening, the people exchanged til gul laddoo, chikkis or sweets prepared with sesame seeds and jaggery to commemorate Makar Sankranti. The festival after the day-long kite flying was followed by various programmes like Haldi Kunku for women. The festival is also celebrated to welcome warmer days as it marks the end of the winter solstice.
It marks the beginnig of the harvest seasons when people worship new crops and share them with delight. Meanwhile, all the shopkeepers were happy as the sale of kites was skyrocketed giving them a good profit margin.
