The festival of Makar Sankranti marks the beginning of the harvest season as the sun begins its movement from north to south hemisphere. This auspicious festival worships the Sun through offerings and prayer.

The celebration of Makar Sankranti varies in its forms and regional flavors throughout India. In Gujarat and Maharashtra, colorful kites are flown and its celebrated as a festival of the young and old. In Southern India, it is celebrated as Pongal, which is a multi-day harvest festival, particularly in the Tamil community. Its name comes from a Tamil word meaning "to boil" and is also the name given to a rice and lentil dish that is prepared during this time. The dish symbolizes unity, as it is cooked in a single pot, uniting all the ingredients.  

This celebration, filled with cosmic and spiritual significance, is celebrated by the Indian diaspora in the U.S., including the Bay Area.