K.A.Viswanathan
While dates of all Hindu festivals keep changing as per the Gregorian calendar, the date of Makar Sankranti remains constant on January 14 and Pongal on 15. After this event, days start becoming longer and warmer and chill of winter declines. It is believed that any auspicious and sacred ritual can be sanctified in any Hindu family, this day onwards. For Keralites, this is another important festival like Vishu and Onam.
Sri Ayyappa Bhaktha Samiti, at Dadar celebrates this for three days since 1950 at Napoo Garden at Matunga. This year it concluded on January 14. Started by late Mr.V.Krishnan Nair this organization has been conducting this festival which was then the first of its kind in Maharashtra. “We make out of banana stems, four temples, which is a replica of all the temples in Sabarimala in Kerala and a mosque of Vavar, a Muslim confident of Lord Ayyappa, “ said his son Mr. Gopalakrishna Nair. In the evening a procession of Lord Ayyappa was taken out from the nearby Shiva temple with Velichapadu (Oracle) carrying sword and dagger which are the weapons of the Lord and led by Pancha Vadhyam and Nadaswaram he said.
On Makar Sankranti evening, at the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa’s Sabarimala in Kerala, lakhs of pilgrims witness a celestial light. It is believed that this brilliant flame of light is the aarathi performed by the Gods. Known as Makar Jyoti, this miracle occurs at the time of the evening prayer time. This year it appeared on January 14.
