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India Solar Festivals 2025: Celebrating the Sun God
The Sun God, Surya, is marked by many Indian states, from South India’s Pongal to North India’s Makar Sankranti.
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Nandika Chand - Fri, 18, Apr 2025
- 01:54 EDT
- 78
Sun festivals in India / Wikipedia
India is a colorful and vibrant land of varied culture and traditions that is celebrated across the world by the Indian diaspora. Every state has its own festival and unique celebrations that brings communities together.
The Sun God, Surya, is marked by many Indian states, from South India’s Pongal to North India’s Makar Sankranti. The sun is the source of light, energy, and life. Surya or Aditya as its called is a powerful deity in Hinduism. Even yoga incorporates sun worship through ‘Surya Namaskar’ that is usually done in the beginning of the class. This is a ritual of reverence and request.
Here is a list of popular Solar Festivals in India:
Makar Sankranti
Date: Jan. 14, 2025
Region: Nationwide
Significance: This is a festival of cultural, religious, and agricultural importance. Its marked as Pongal in Tamil Nadu. Devotees offer prayers and fly kites. Makar Sankranti signifies growth, prosperity and new beginnings. It also marks the beginning of the harvest season. Farmers celebrate Makar Sankranti with gratitude and hopes for a bountiful harvest. This festival also signifies the end of winter, with people lighting bonfires and preparing special foods and sweets like til laddoos and gur. Makar Sankranti is celebrated with the Lohri festival in Punjab and Haryana.
Pongal
Date: Jan. 14
Region: Tamil Nadu
Significance: Pongal is a harvest festival, with the word Pongal coming from Tamil word pongu, which means to boil over or overflow. It symbolizes abundance, prosperity, and gratitude for the harvest. In Tamil Nadu, this festival is celebrated in mid-Jan. and is dedicated to the Sun God.
Uttarayan
Date: Jan. 11 – 14
Region: Gujarat
Significance: This marks the end of winter and beginning of spring. In Gujarat, this festival is all about flying kites of all shapes and sizes. Families gather on the rooftops to fly kites with their children and compete against their neighbors. Special foods and sweets are prepared.
Also Read: The Solar New Year through India's fields
Basant Panchami
Date: Feb. 2
Region: Nationwide
Significance: This festival marks the arrival of spring (Vasant Ritu) season. Devotees worship Goddess Saraswati, wear yellow clothes, fly kites, and enjoy sweets. Worshippers recite the Saraswati Vandana to seek the Goddess’ blessings for wisdom and success. They also place their books, pens, musical instruments, and yellow flowers before the Goddess. Basant Panchami marks new beginnings – be it education, marriage, or business venture. It is also associated with wisdom and creativity.
Chhath Puja
Date: 6 days after Diwali
Region: Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh
Significance: Worshippers show gratitude to Lord Surya for providing life and light to living beings. Devotees believe they receive abundance, inner strength, growth, and clarity when they offer prayers to the Sun God. It brings prosperity and success in life, as well as good physical health. This year, Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun God will be celebrated twice – Chaiti Chhath on Apr. 3 and Kartik Chhath on Nov. 7.
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