Sankranti gets the modern makeover, but it's just as warm

IT’s the first festival of the new year and Pune is set to enjoy the warm glow of Makar Sankranti in these chilly winter days.
This festival heralds the beginning of the year according to the Hindu calendar, also marking the beginning of Uttarayan, the Sun’s northward journey.
This is the season of the first sugarcane harvest, ready to be made into fresh jaggery.As the season also demands something sweet and warm, tilgul, made of jaggery and sesame seeds, fits the bill perfectly.
Mandai and Tulsibaug are the hotbeds of activity during Sankranti, with all the necessary stuff available here. Sugads, those tiny black earthen pots, considered as symbols of storage of wealth, are lined up, striking a fantastic contrast against the greenery of the vegetables in the Mandai and Tulsibaug areas.
Sixty-eight-year-old Saral Kemkar explains the significance behind these pots being used in haldi-kunku gettogethers, “These pots are filled with halwa, sugarcane, Indian berries, green grams and dry fruits, signs of a good harvest and a hope for further such harvests.� This is a special season, especially for women, as they get to wear ‘sweet’ jewellery, along with black sarees.
“According to the Hindu customs and traditions, it’s inauspicious to wear black.� says Manjiri Potnis, “But there is a scientific explanation for wearing black on this day. It doesn’t let the heat get out from the body and keeps it warm in winter.� A lot of importance is given to til (sesame seeds).
“Sesame seeds are used to combat the chill in winter, as sesame contains oil which is healthy,� explains Premlata Nayak, who vouches for the great taste of rotis and other delicacies made using sesame. “While giving these ladoos and halwa, we say tilgul ghya, god bola,� adds her daughter, Madhuri Nayak. Tulsibaug, the favoured destination of Puneites these days, is brimming with special items for the festivity.
Rajesh Shinde, a vendor who has created many new and modern varieties of tilgul boxes and pouches says, “The traditional festival deserves a new look, so we have convenient packaging for all the material required for Sankranti - from turmeric powder to sweetmeats.�
This year, he has made special sets along with all the Saubhagya ornaments from Sindoor to Mangalsutra, as there’s a tradition to gift these to newlyweds. Silver is a hot commodity these days, with the accent on toe rings.
“Women choose modern gadgets as Sankranti gifts these days, like mobiles,� grins Bharati Joshi, who is planning to buy the latest variety of microwave crockery.