PRINCE KUMAR
Ranchi, Jan 13: With the surge of Covid-19 cases in the district, the way of celebration has also changed from mass gathering to home isolation, a kind of celebration where people restrict themselves to their homes and contribute to defeating the corona infection.
Ranchi residents are gearing up for Makar Sankranti – the celebration of fertility and produce which is also an ode to mother nature for all the gifts that she endows. The capital city is all set to have a gala time celebrating the festival at their home on January 14 in a unique way by following the Covid guidelines of the state.
For most people across the city, the day will be kicked off by the famous ‘Makar Snan’ or the compulsory holy bath that is believed to wash away all the sins of the year. It is generally followed by the traditional dish of Dahi Chura, which is a delicious mix of yogurt, puffed rice, sugar, jaggery and Tilkut. The morning breakfast is an important ritual for people across Ranchi and has been of great significance since times immemorial.
“Dahi Chura is a significant part of the Makar Sankranti celebrations. My mother personally prepares yogurt for the occasion and I love the morning breakfast. We also have the tradition of eating tilkut and gur badam, two traditional dishes that complete the whole platter. This Makar Sankranti for me is all about the good food and the feeling of festivity by remaining at home,” Abhishek Singh, a student at a city college, said.
The Bengali community also celebrates the festival with equal festive spirit and enthusiasm and of course, their own spread of delicious food items all across Ranchi.
Anita Chakraborty, a homemaker, said, “Makar Sankranti is celebrated as a mark of the first produce of the season. Fresh jaggery and dairy products are used to make pithas. In my maternal home, we used to have more than 10 different kinds of pithas or sweetmeats built out of a combination of freshly harvested rice powder served with liquid jaggery. My children too love the pithas and patishaptas, a rice wrap of coconut gratings or khoa the most.”
For the locals, this time of the year marks the celebrations of harvest festivals, including Sohrai and Tusu. While both celebrate the bounty of nature endowed upon mankind as a blessing, each has its unique rituals that make them stand out.
Additionally, Kite flying is also an important practice during Makar Sankranti and people across Ranchi are all set to take to roofs for kite flying competitions against their peers.
