It’s almost the middle of January and we Indians are all set to celebrate another year of cultural celebrations. I prefer to call it this way because, in this country, the festivities are analogous to a one-pot meal, like a Khichdi or Biryani. It’s a fusion of varied ethnicities from every State. Each household has its unique traditions and yet, the spirit of the festival is similar to the core.
We are celebrating Makar Sankranti, Pongal, and Lohri this weekend. It is the same festival but is termed differently in different parts of the country. People pay their tribute to the Sun God and the Goddess of Wealth, offering prayers of gratitude for helping them survive the winter and praying for a prosperous year of the farming season. This festival also marks the end of the winter solstice and the beginning of Spring. Much like Thanksgiving, isn’t it?
Like every festival, there are some typical rituals and customs attached to Makar Sankranti as well. However, the one which is common to all parts of the country is, making special sweet delicacies of their cultural roots and sharing them with friends, families and neighbours.
I was brought up in the Eastern part of the country where this day is celebrated with mouth-watering sweet dishes called Pithe. This sweet dish comes in different shapes and forms. Different forms of Pithe require a few of the key ingredients like rice four, four, semolina, grated coconut, lentils, sesame, ghee and Khoya or solidified milk. However, the star of all the ingredients is the seasonal Nolen Gur or the Date Palm Jaggery!
My pick from the wide varieties of Pithe is Ranga Alu Pithe; fried balls of mashed sweet potatoes, soft and succulent steeped in the nutty, flavourful syrup of Nolen Gur (liquid date jaggery). The second is Patishapta. Silky white crepes stuffed with a sweet filling comprising of coconut and date jaggery or solidified milk.
These crepes not only taste awesome but are full of fibre and nutritious too albeit a little sweet. Patishapta is perfect for a Sunday breakfast on the cold days that follow post-Sankranti. It is a tough competitor to the waffle or pancake, paired with a strong brew of strong, black coffee. My Shejho Mama (the third maternal uncle) used to make amazing Patishapta! He managed to keep the crepes delectably, thin, light and white.
Each family has a special version of the Pithe which sets it apart from the others. However, the most common ones which are staples for the occasion of Poush Sankranti in most houses are Sheddho Pithe, which is a version of the Ganpati Modak only different in shape. Doodh Puli, Choshi and Nolen Gurer Payesh are a must item in most households.
The process of making these sweet items is not simple and mostly is a team effort. The process of some forms of Pithe like the Gokul Pithe is like entering a culinary adventure. It takes a lot of time, patience and expertise to make Pithe taste and look good. A little mistake can either make the Pithe rock hard or make it fall apart. The precision of measurement plays a very important element in the outcome, much like baking.
By evening, every household in the neighborhood gets to sample a lot more varieties because, on this day, it is customary to visit each other’s houses and exchange homemade sweets.
In the Western part of the country, where I live at present, people fly kites together with great enthusiasm. The sky decks up with colourful specks of kites. Til Laddoos , Puran Polis and different kinds of pakoras (lentil and vegetable fritters) are shared in the evening along with spicy and tangy spring garlic and lemon dip. Peas Kachoris with the seasonal new potato sabji taste heavenly in the crisp cold evening, along with some piping hot ginger tea.
Makar Sankranti is not only limited to religious or regional beliefs and traditions alone. It is a celebration of the seasonal bounties of nature. It is time to appreciate and rejoice in the season’s harvest, bury the hatchet over the past and enjoy the great food with friends, families and neighbours. So, enjoy the Pithe, Laddoos and Pakores and wishfully hope for a healthy and peaceful journey all year long.
