Maghi

Maghi is the Punjabi name for the festival of Makar Sankranti which is celebrated all over India as a winter harvest festival. Maghi is celebrated on the first day of Magh as per the Punjabi calendar and is celebrated in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. It is a cultural, seasonal and a religious festival marking the agricultural new year, increase in daylight and holding of sports festivals.

Cultural festival

Seasonal festival

Maghi represents the increase in daylight which begins to occur a day after the winter solstice and is referred to as the "bara din" (big day). The day also marks the start of the shishir season as per the Punjabi calendar. The shishir season is the second half of the winter season with milder weather and accordingly, Maghi is considered to be a seasonal festival. Where Maghi is celebrated in the solar month of Magh, Basant is celebrated in the corresponding lunar month of Magh. Both these festivals are seasonal with Maghi being celebrated before Basant.