Jaipur: Makar Sankranti is celebrated with much pomp in Jaipur and holds great significance for everyone, as it is homecoming in many parts of India. The festival is considered auspicious as mentioned in the ancient scriptures. Sankranti is the beginning of the harvest season when people worship new crops and share them with delight.
This festival has a wide variety of names called in differents states like Makar Sankranti or Uttarayan is called in Jaipur, Makar Sankranti in Telangana and Maharashtra, Karnataka while Poush Sankranti in West Bengal, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Pedda Panduga in Andhra Pradesh, Magh Bihu in Assam, Maghi or simply Sankranti in other northern parts of India. Sankranti here means ‘transfer’, this day is considered as the transition day of Sun into the Capricorn.
Jaipur has a rich history when it comes to Makar Sankranti, the mention of Chatshala and Panchag reading starts. The elderly and the historians proudly speak of their period. The kite-flying of Jaipur on Makar Sankranti is also famous and the general public also shows special interest in it. While the traditional Gurukul system was alive in the form of Chatshalas in Jaipur, there was also a tradition of reciting Jai Vinodhi Panchang on Makar Sankranti.
History Of Jaipur Chatshalas
According to historian Devendra Kumar Bhagat, Chatshala is a form of small Gurukul kind of a school. The brahmins of the Joshi family of Jaipur used to teach basic education to small children. They were taught to write with a 'patti pencil'. Especially on Makar Sankranti new students were included in the school and new patti pencils were given to the students.
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In the Ramganj market, the Joshi family used to run chatshalas in Khurra of Kanwatis. Similarly, Pandit Jatashankar Tiwari, Amru Joshi used to run chatshalas at the old township. Chatshalas were run till the last round of Sawai Man Singh II. For this, a grant was given by the royal family. This grant was given in the form of money that came out on the birthday of the Maharaja. The work of providing education to the midwives of Janana Deodhi was done on behalf of the Joshis. The traditional Gurukul system was alive in Jaipur in the form of these Chatshalas.
A tradition of Panchang Pathan in Jaipur
Evidence is found in the history of Jaipur that the reading of Panchang on Makar Sankranti also had its own importance. In this regard, Devendra Kumar Bhagat told that Jaipur is a city in which astrology and astronomy have great importance. The royal astrologer Pandit Kewal Ram of Sawai Jai Singh had extracted the Ram Panchang from Amber. Later, when Jaipur was settled, this Panchang came to be known as 'Jai Vinodhi Panchang' which is still published today. Apart from this, Banshidhar ji's Panchang, Jaipur Panchang were also read.
Significance of Makarsankranti and Panchang reading in Jaipur
On Makar Sankranti, these almanacs were produced for the general public and were read in the streets of Jaipur. Through the Panchang, it was used to find out how the year would go, whether there would be a situation like famine-starvation, how would agriculture be? The common people believed that whatever Pandit ji said through the Panchang will be true and good.
Auspicious day on Uttarayan
On Makar Sankranti, Sun enters Capricorn, on this day the Sun becomes Uttarayan and Uttarayan has special significance in Hinduism. All auspicious work is done in Uttarayan according to solar calculations. In the Mahabharata, Bhishma Pitamah had also held his life till Uttarayan. For this reason, Makar Sankranti was chosen for Panchang reading. Overall, the Panchang reading was centred on the future reading of Jaipur throughout the year.
Popularity of Dali Bati Churma
Dal-Bati-Churma has also been prevalent in the houses of Jaipur especially on Makar Sankranti. Inviting the daughters for food on this day, doing charity work is considered to be auspicious in Makar Sankranti. The history of Makar Sankranti is full of hope and brings the message of happiness.
