Makar Sankranti is the Hindu harvest festival commonly observed on 14 January and famous for kite flying in many parts of India.
The festival marks the Sun’s transition into Makara, or Capricorn, in the traditional sidereal zodiac. It is one of the few major Hindu festivals tied to a solar calendar, so its date is relatively stable compared with festivals based on lunar calculations.
Regional names and customs vary widely. In Gujarat, kite flying is especially prominent; in Punjab it is associated with Maghi; and in Tamil Nadu the related harvest festival is Pongal. These regional traditions should not automatically be treated as identical festivals.
Makar Sankranti also has religious importance, with bathing in sacred rivers, charitable giving, and offerings of seasonal foods forming common observances.