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 ancesteral 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.
Kanya Sankranti, Kanya Sankraman
Kanya Sankranti is observed when the sun moves from Simha Rashi (Leo) to the Kanya Rashi (Virgo). This day is the solar calender’s new month and is known as Kanni month in Malayalam, Purattasi in Tamil, Ashbin in Bengali.
Kanya Sankranti is also called as Kanya Sankraman in southern parts of India and celebrated as B(v)iswakarma puja in Orissa and Bengal. For Kanya Sankranti sixteen Ghatis ( 1 day = 60 Ghatis) after the Sankranti moment is considered auspicious and the time window that exists between that moment to Sankranti moment is auspicious for all Dan-Punya activities. Performing Sankramana Snan, Japa, Daan, pitru tarpan and shradha are the important rituals of this day.
Vishwakarma Jayanti | Bishwakarma Puja
In Odisha and Bengal, Kanya Sankranti is observed as Vishwakarma Puja. Viswakarma is an Engineer / Architect of the gods.
On this day people worship Lord Vishwakarma and their instruments in factories, industries, shops and colleges and people worship Lord Vishwakarma along with their respective instruments. All the craftsmen and other professionals such as welders, smiths, artisans and factory workers. The workshops, warehouses, and even the small cottage industries celebrate this festival with much dedication. Puja is also performed by priests. They believe that by worshiping this god their machines and tools function smoothly.
Bishwakarma Puja celebrated according to Bisuddhasidhanta. It is observed on the last day of Bengali month Bhadra, which is also known as Bhadra Sankranti or Kanya Sankranti.