And who can blame us for casting our gaze eastwards in our bleak midwinter.. in celebration of the Sun God in India?
Because we love the sun and a festival and both are in fine supply at Makar Sankranti harvest time.
Indians, and lovers of the subcontinent, celebrate the Sun God on Tuesday, January 14 in the multi-varied ways its peoples do.
Our pals at India & You are happy to share that the Sun God festival carries different names and forms across the country.
With a vast variety of regional delicacies.
Typically Tropical
Now before we get started the science bit.
Tuesday is the day the sun travels from the southern to the northern hemisphere, uttarayana.
And the sun’s transition from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn.
Kashmir fashion
It’ll be the the Hindu solar deity, Surya, you’ll celebrate, or the Big Yella Ball in the Sky as he’s known in Scotland and Ireland.
Activities such as kite flying, making rangolis, holy dips in the Yamuna and Ganga rivers, and acts of charity are common.
That begins at home during Shishur Saenkraat as it’s called in the northern Kashmir Valley.
The Kashmiri Pandits are known for their generosity and like to donate rice and Kangri, a portable coal-fired heater.
To help others in the cold and as offerings in memory of departed souls.
Punjabi party
The Punjabis get things started the day before with Lohri, a bonfire night.
When the newly married and new parents are made a fuss of, and aren’t they always?
Now if you’re partial to a sarson ka saag, mustard greens with spices or makki ki rotior cornmeal flatbreads, Lohri is for you.
Uttar fun
Uttar Pradesh and its Khichdi Parv fest is all about the kite-flying.
While at Allahabad, devotees take holy baths at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers.
And gorge on rice and lentil Khichdi.
While there is a three-day festival, Khichidi Mela in Gorakhpur.
Tamil cattle class
Of course, in the land where the cow is revered cattle are at the heart of the four-day Pongal party in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.
Day 1 known as Bhogi Pongal, the locals burn old items to mark new beginnings and cut paddy.
Day 2 or Surya Pongal, the thing to do if you want to blend in is cheer ‘Pongalo Pongal’ over the festive food.
The cattle have their day on Day 3 or Maatu Pongal, where cattle are washed, decorated and worshipped.
And a popular bull-taming sport, Jallikattu, is also organised.
We’d leave it at that but there’s Day 4, or Kannum Pongal.
When women prepare colourful rice dishes and offer them to crows in symbolic honouring of their ancestors.
Before the obligatory traditional folk dances, including Mayilattam and Kolattam.
So whatever you call it, and in my native Glasgow it’s called Taps Aff (ask a Glaswegian).
It’ll be nothing compared to the celebration of the Sun God in India.
