The Real Reason Why Makar Sankranti Has a Fixed Date While Holi and Diwali Keep Changing Each Year
Suspense Crime, Digital Desk : Why is Makar Sankranti on the 14 th - 15 th January each year while Holi has variable dates and the same question for many other Indian festivals can have different answers when you consider the Hindu calendar calculations.
Most of us do have these two doubts of some festivals on fixed English dates while some have varying dates each year. The reason for this difference is based on the fact that the Hindu calendar has two ways of calculating time: one based on the position of the moon- called the "lunar calendar" and one based on the position of the sun- called the "solar calendar".
In the traditions of India, not only days and months are important but also the positions of the Sun and the Moon and therefore some festivals fall on fixed dates, others according to the positions of the sun and the zodiac etc.
Importance of lunar calendar.
All festivals in India that are celebrated according to dates such as Amavasya (new moon), Purnima (full moon), Ekadashi (one-moon day), Chaturthi (fourth day) and Ashtami (eighth day) etc, fall on dates depending on the position of the moon. Thus, their dates in the English calendar fall on different days every year.
List of Festivals based on lunar calendar.
Mahashivratri
Holi
Raksha Bandhan
Janmashtami
Ganesh Chaturthi
Karwa Chauth
Diwali
Guru Purnima
Sharad Purnima
Navratri
Festivals based on Sun
There are few festivals of Hinduism that fall according to the position of the Sun and its movement between the zodiac. These are known as solar festivals. There is little variation in dates for this calendar system because the movement of the Sun is relatively steady.
List of festivals based on Sun.
Makar Sankranti
Pongal
Uttarayan
Magh Bihu
Vishu
crutches
Makar Sankranti falls on 14-15 th January each year as it is believed to be the day the Sun moves into the Capricorn and it is also based on the Solar calendar.
