As I was molding sesame jaggery (til gud) Laddus today was wondering how beautifully are our festivals planned by our ancestors! Every single festive brings in special foods and seasonal foods which not just add healthy foods to our regular diets but also bring in small notes on spiritual life and happiness!
The auspicious day when Sun transits in Capricorn, Uttarayan_ we do prayers, donate food and feed poor, gift goodies to married woman and kids, fly kites, campfires, rangolis/kolam, pongal, rewdi, gajak, Gudpatti, sugar candy ornaments,
wearing black clothes, eat slimy sticky yet tempting berries/ber, try out dental strength by chewing some sugar cane just to list a few.
While these are material pleasures of festival, it also connects us to God, reminding us to see God in each of us, speak sweetly, as sweet as jaggery and bond with family and friends like the bonding of Til and gud, forgiving and forgetting the past hard feelings and looking forward for happy times.
Happy Makara Sankranti to all my family n friends on FB!