PICS: How India Celebrates Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Lohri & Bihu

A cow runs over burning hay as part of a ritual during the Makar Sankranti celebrations in Bengaluru. (Image: PTI)

A woman makes a 'Rangoli' design in front of her house on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, in a village on the outskirts of Agartala. (Image: PTI)

Chefs prepare 1995 kgs 'Khichdi' on the occasion of Makar Sankranti at Tattapani near Shimla. (Image: PTI)

Students celebrate Pongal at the college premises in Chennai. (Image: PTI)

Young women perform 'gidha' during Lohri celebration in Jalandhar. (Image: PTI)

An Assamese woman prepares traditonal food, 'pitha' on the occasion of Bhogali Bihu or Magh Bihu, in Guwahati. (Image: PTI)

People participate in the annual sport of cattle passing through fire at Siddalingapura to mark Makar Sankranti festival, at a village near Mysuru, Karnataka. (Image: PTI)

Sadhus & devotees on their way to Ajoy River to bathe on the occasion of Makar Sankranti festival, in Birbhum district of West Bengal. (Image: PTI)

Young women wearing traditional Punjabi attire celebrate Lohri festival, in Amritsar. (Image: PTI)

Devotees offer prayers while taking a holy dip at Gangasagar (Sagar Island) on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. (Image: PTI)

Indian ethnic Tamil Hindus carry sugar cane and turmeric plant as they arrive to cook special food to celebrate the harvest festival of Pongal at Dharavi in Mumbai. (Image: AP)

People along with their cattle participate in an event organised as part of Sankranti celebrations in Mysore. (Image: PTI)

Students, dressed in the traditional Punjabi attire, celebrating the festival of Lohri in Amritsar. (Image: PTI)

A man selling a fish at a market on the occasion of harvest festival Magh Bihu at Bagan Para in Assam. (Image: PTI)

Villagers take part in a community fishing event during Bhogali Bihu celebrations at Goroimari Lake in Panbari. (Image: PTI)

A sadhu offers prayers after taking a holy dip at Sangam on the occasion of Makar Sankranti festival in Allahabad. (Image: PTI)

Tamil people celebrating Pongal festival at Sadar Ramlila Maidan in Jabalpur. (Image: PTI)

Women, dressed in their traditional Punjabi, attire fly kites as they celebrate the festival of Lohri in Amritsar. (Image: PTI)

Artist performing fold dance during Lord Hatakeswar Yatra on occasion of Makar Sankranti festival in Odisha. (Image: PTI)

A devotee offering evening prayers to the Sun on the occasion of Makar Sankranti at Gangasagar. (Image: PTI)

Devotees offering prayer to sun God at the Gangasagar Island in Kolkata, on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. (Image: PTI)

Foreign tourists flying kites on the occasion of Makar Sankranti at Jal Mahal in Jaipur. (Image: PTI)

Indian ethnic Tamil Hindu women cook special food to celebrate the harvest festival of Pongal at Dharavi in Mumbai. (Image: AP)

A devotee takes a holy dip at Sangam on the occasion of the Makar Sankranti festival in Allahabad. (Image: PTI)

A student, dressed in the traditional Punjabi, celebrates the festival of Lohri in Amritsar. (Image: PTI)

A Sadhu offers prayers after taking the ritual dips in the Sangam, the confluence of rivers Ganges and Yamuna, on Makar Sankranti festival in Allahabad. (Image: PTI)

Participants along with their cattle crossing fire at an event organised as part of Sankranti celebrations in Mysore. (Image: PTI)

Devotees offer prayers while taking a holy dip at Gangasagar on the occasion of Makar Sankranti at Gangasagar. (Image: PTI)

A girl offers prayers after taking a holy dip at Sangam on the occasion of Makar Sankranti festival in Allahabad. (Image: AP)

Girls dressed in their traditional attire dance around a bonfire as they celebrate Lohri in Jammu. (Image: PTI)

Devotees gather to take a holy dip at Sangam on the occasion of Makar Sankranti festival in Allahabad. (Image: AP)