Did You Know About Udaipur's Gift To The Celebrations of Makar Sankranti Festivities?

Makar Sankranti is a very unique festival which is celebrated all across India with various names like Lohri, Pongal, Bihu, Uttarayan etc. Celebrated every year on 14th January, this is the only Hindu festival which follows the Solar cycle. Almost all other Hindu festivals follow lunar calendar and their dates vary according to the Gregorian or Christian calendar. But Makar Sankranti is a festival dedicated to the Sun God and marks the first day of Sun’s transit into the zodiac sign Capricorn (Makar in Hindi). Thus ending the darkest night of the year and welcoming the brighter and longer days ahead.

According to Hindu mythology, the holy river Ganges landed on Earth from heaven on this day. So millions of people go to Ganges to take a holy dip and wash off their sins today. It’s also the day when Mahabharat legend Bhishma chose it as auspicious day to die and left for heavenly abode. In Gujarat state, this day is famous as kite festival and all the sky is filled up with colourful kites throughout the state. Several songs, dances and boat races are organized in different parts of the country to celebrate this day. This festival is also known as Harvest Festival of India and is celebrated with several special dishes prepared from the new harvests including wheat, sesame, jaggery, corn, etc.

Many dishes like gazak, rewadi, sesame laddoo, are famously savoured on this day. I live in the western state of Rajasthan. Here we prepare a very special dish on this day known as Rajasthani Doodhiya Kheech. One of the lesser known fact is that this dish originated from my city Udaipur. Formerly prepared on the auspicious Alshaya Tritiya day, now it is exclusively prepared on Makar Sankranti day.

Kheech is prepared from very coarse wheat grains (almost quarter sized grain) using milk and sweetner and then garnished with almonds, cashews, cardmom powder, raisins and saffron strands. Earlier we used to pound wheat with a big wooden pestle to prepare kheech from wheat several days in advance. But today it’s easily available in the market prepared by using modern pulverizing machines.

Still, it’s been several years I didn’t eat the doodhiya kheech. Being a vegan, I don’t consume any dairy products. Neither I’m very keen to prepare plant based milk for the sake of taste buds. But fortunately today, there was a lot of soy milk available at my home. So my mom chose to prepare kheech with it for me. And it was so delicious that I can’t describe it in words here.

Although it is prepared like a wheat porridge, it tastes very different and rich. Its texture is mashed and somewhat a semi-fluid type. It's as concentrated as rabdi though wheat is used as a thickener. It serves as an excellent side dish and a sweet dessert too.

If you are eating kheech this Makar Sankranti, do not forget to thank my city Udaipur for inventing it 😊

Do you have any special customs and traditions to celebrate the Makar Sankranti in your region? Do share it with me here. Thanks!