New year and new festival! 2026 has officially begun, surpassing the bygone year it’s time to indulge in the refreshing aura of Makar Sankranti. A festival with sweetness in mouth & skies filled with huge kind of kites, you can’t miss out on!
Indian festival has different kind of enthusiasm. More than just a symbol of unity, it’s an heritage that has been preserved, lived and is been showcased even till today! Although it’s one festival but carries a different emotion in different regions. Many you might be aware of, but many being unknown to you!
This year do something unique, something extraordinary and make this festival an unforgettable scene of happiness, joy and reason to bond together with your loved ones once again!
Top 10 places to celebrate Makar Sankranti
1. Ahmedabad, Gujarat – Where the Sky Becomes a Festival
If Makar Sankranti had an address, it would proudly read Ahmedabad. Known worldwide for the International Kite Festival, the city transforms into a massive open-air celebration where rooftops turn into viewing decks and the sky becomes a living canvas. From dawn till dusk, the air is filled with laughter, friendly kite battles, music, and the unmistakable thrill of “kai po che!” echoing through the lanes.
What makes Ahmedabad extraordinary is how deeply the festival is woven into everyday life. Families gather on terraces, strangers become teammates, and food flows endlessly — Undhiyu, fafda, jalebi, and hot chai become part of the ritual. As night falls, illuminated kites rise like glowing stars, making the city feel almost unreal.
Why be here: Because nowhere else does Sankranti feel this grand, energetic, and alive.
2. Jaipur, Rajasthan – Royal Skies & Timeless Traditions
In Jaipur, Makar Sankranti carries a regal charm. The Pink City celebrates the festival with an elegance that blends history and festivity. As the sun rises, rooftops across the city fill with locals flying kites against the backdrop of palaces, forts, and age-old havelis.
The skies above Hawa Mahal, Nahargarh, and City Palace shimmer with colour, while the streets below buzz with vendors selling sweets, string reels, and traditional snacks. Cultural performances, folk songs, and community gatherings add warmth to the winter air.
Why be here: Watching hundreds of kites float gently over centuries-old architecture — a perfect meeting of past and present.
3. Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh – Where Faith Rises With the Sun
Makar Sankranti in Prayagraj is less about noise and more about spiritual awakening. Devotees from across the country gather at the sacred Triveni Sangam, where the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati meet, to take a holy dip at sunrise.
The atmosphere is deeply emotional — chants fill the air, oil lamps flicker on the riverbanks, and faith flows silently with the water. It’s a place where Sankranti is not just celebrated but felt within. The festival here symbolizes cleansing, gratitude, and the beginning of a brighter spiritual cycle.
Why be here: To experience Sankranti as a soulful reset for the mind and heart.
4. Madurai, Tamil Nadu – Pongal With Power & Pride
In Madurai, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Thai Pongal, a four-day harvest festival rooted deeply in Tamil culture. Homes are decorated with vibrant kolams, fresh sugarcane stands tall at entrances, and the air smells of freshly cooked Pongal bubbling over in earthen pots.
What makes Madurai stand out is the raw energy of Jallikattu, an ancient bull-taming sport that reflects courage, tradition, and community pride. The celebrations are loud, colourful, emotional, and unapologetically real.
Why be here: Sitting with locals, sharing Pongal, and witnessing traditions that have survived centuries.
5. Kolhapur, Maharashtra – Grounded, Warm & Full of Heart
In Kolhapur, Makar Sankranti is about togetherness and tradition. Homes exchange tilgul with the famous phrase “tilgul ghya, god god bola”, reminding everyone to begin the year with sweetness and kind words.
The celebrations are simple yet deeply meaningful — women wear traditional attire, families gather, and temples become focal points of the festivities. It’s Sankranti in its most heartfelt form.
Why be here: Because simplicity often carries the deepest joy.
6. Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh – When Rituals Meet Reverence
Varanasi celebrates Makar Sankranti with sacred intensity. The ghats come alive before sunrise as devotees perform rituals, take holy dips, and offer prayers to the rising sun.
The combination of floating diyas, temple bells, and the slow flow of the Ganga creates an atmosphere that feels timeless. Here, Sankranti is a reminder of life, death, and rebirth — all coexisting beautifully.
Why be here: Witness the early morning rituals followed by a peaceful walk along the ghats.
7. Hyderabad, Telangana – A Colourful Family Affair
Known locally as Pedda Panduga, Sankranti in Hyderabad is warm, joyous, and community-driven. Homes are decorated with rangolis, cattle are worshipped, and family gatherings stretch for days.
Terraces fill with laughter as children and adults alike fly kites, while kitchens stay busy preparing traditional sweets like sakinalu and ariselu.
Why be here: The festival here feels like one long, happy family reunion.
8. Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala – Where Harvest Meets Harmony
Makar Sankranti in Thiruvananthapuram unfolds softly — not with loud celebrations, but with a deep sense of balance between nature, tradition, and spirituality. Known locally as Makara Vilakku and closely linked to the harvest season, the festival here is more about gratitude than grandeur.
The mornings begin early, with temple bells echoing through palm-lined streets and devotees offering prayers to the rising sun. Homes are cleaned and decorated, traditional lamps are lit, and special offerings made to thank nature for its abundance. Unlike the kite-filled skies of the north or the bonfires of Punjab, Kerala’s Sankranti is rooted in stillness and reflection — a pause to acknowledge the earth, the crops, and the cycles of life.
Why be here: Travellers seeking calm, authenticity, and slow cultural experiences.
9. Kolkata & Gangasagar, West Bengal – Where the Sun Meets the Sacred
In West Bengal, Makar Sankranti unfolds with quiet devotion, deep faith, and soulful rituals rather than loud celebration. Known locally as Poush Sankranti, the festival marks the end of the Bengali month of Poush and is observed as a sacred turning point of the year.
The heart of the celebration lies in Gangasagar, where the holy river Ganga meets the Bay of Bengal. On Sankranti day, lakhs of devotees gather here before sunrise to take a holy dip, believing it cleanses the soul and opens the path to spiritual renewal. The air is thick with chants, conch sounds, and the soft rhythm of waves — creating a setting that feels both powerful and humbling.
Why be here: Watching the sun rise at Gangasagar, where water, sky, and faith merge into one endless horizon.
10. Amritsar, Punjab – Where Lohri Burns Bright With Joy
If Makar Sankranti celebrates the sun’s journey, Lohri celebrates fire, harvest, and heartfelt togetherness — and there’s no place more authentic than Amritsar to experience it.
As evening falls, the city glows in a different light. Bonfires are lit in courtyards, streets, and open grounds, becoming the centre of laughter, music, and rituals. Families gather around the fire, offering rewri, gajak, peanuts, popcorn, and til while prayers of gratitude rise with the flames. The beat of dhol fills the air, and soon strangers turn into dance partners, celebrating life with bhangra and giddha.
What makes Amritsar truly special during Lohri is the balance between spiritual calm and festive fire. Begin your day with the serenity of the Golden Temple, and end it wrapped in warmth, folk songs, and the glow of burning embers under the winter sky.
Why be here: Dancing around a Lohri bonfire with dhol beats echoing through the cold January night.
Makar Sankranti reminds us that no matter where we are, we’re all connected by the same sun, the same hope, and the same desire to begin again.
This year, let your celebration travel beyond home.
Chase the sun. Follow the kites.
And make Sankranti 2026 a memory that stays long after the strings are rolled away
Happy Sundaying!
Travellogs 