Sankranti, Sankraman
Sankranti is celebrated on sankraman day i.e. when Sun transits from one zodiac to the next. According to surya siddhanta, Vedic hindu calender consists 12 months. There are 12 sankranti days in a year and each Sankranti day marks the beginning of the new month in Hindu Solar Calendar.
All twelve Sankranti(s) in the year are considered highly auspicious for performing ancestral rituals (Shraddha and Tarpanam) and daana-punya activities. Only particular time duration before or after each Sankranti moment is considered auspicious for Sankranti related activities.
Kumbh Sankranti, Kumbha Sankraman
Kumbha Sankranti is observed when the sun moves from Makara Rashi (Capricorn) to the Kumbha Rashi (Aquarius). This day is the solar calender’s new month and is known as Kumbham month in Malayalam, Maasi in Tamil, Falgun in Bangali.
Kumbha Sankranti is also called as Kumbha Sankraman in southern parts of India. For Kumbha Sankranti auspicious time starts sixteen Ghatis ( 1 day = 60 Ghatis) before the Sankranti moment and the time window that exists between that moment to Sankranti moment is auspicious for all Dan-Punya activities. Performing Sankramana Snan, Japa, worshiping Sun God, pitru tarpan and shradha are the important rituals of this day.
Kumbha Sankranti is specially known for ritual baths in the river Ganges, Godavari, Yamuna and other holy rivers across India. During this Sankranti time feeding cow is also considered highly auspicious.
