India is celebrating its traditional harvest festival of Bihu, Pongal and Makar Sakranti across different states of the country. Magh Bihu, also known as Bhogali Bihu, is a festival marked by feasts and bonfires. The people in Assam make makeshift huts known as meji or the Bhelaghar before they are set on fire with prayers to the 'Agni Devta' (fire god) for taking away negativity and blessing the land with a good harvest next year. The assamese people also make sunga pitha (rice cake made inside the bamboo stick, til pitha (black sesame sweet), narikol pitha (coconut sweet). Pongal, is a four-day festival which is divided into Bhogi Pandigal, Thai Pongal, Maattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal. However, Makar Sakranti is one of the biggest festival of India. The festival is dedicated to the god of Surya. The festival sees devotes take holy dip in rivers, which is believed to absolve them from past sins.
See how India celebrates Bihu, Pongal, Makar Sankranti:
Tezpur: Villagers take part in a community fishing event ahead of Bhogali Bihu celebrations in Tezpur, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020.
An Assamese woman prepares traditonal food, 'pitha' on the occasion of Bhogali Bihu or Magh Bihu, in Guwahati
Mumbai: Residents from Dharavi area celebrate the Tamil harvest festival of Pongal, in Mumbai
Residents from Dharavi area celebrate the Tamil harvest festival of Pongal, in Mumbai, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020.
Mumbai: Residents from Dharavi area celebrate the Tamil harvest festival of Pongal
Prayagraj: Hindu devotees perform rituals after taking a holy dip in Sangam, the confluence of River Ganga, Yamuna and mythological Saraswati, on the occasion of Makar Sankranti festival during Magh Mela 2020 in Prayagraj (Allahabad)
Students celebrate Pongal at the college premises in Chennai.
Sadhus & devotees on their way to Ajoy River to bathe on the occasion of Makar Sankranti festival, in Birbhum district of West Bengal.
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