Makar Sankranti 2025: West Bengal celebrates Poush Sankranti in full swing 

The nation is ready to celebrate the harvest festival, which is known as Poush Sankranti in West Bengal and is a time of joyous feasting and gratitude. The festival is celebrated with a variety of traditional dishes that highlight Bengal’s agricultural wealth; each bite of these delicacies tells a story of heritage, love, and community.

Poush Sankranti is a thanksgiving to the Sun God for a bountiful harvest, and it starts with prayers and offerings. Newly harvested rice and date palm jaggery (nolen gur) are essential because they are not just staple foods but also represent the season’s prosperity. The celebration is held outside of individual homes.

During the Baharlaxmi Puja, offerings of rice and payesh are made to Goddess Lakshmi in both rural and urban areas. Poush Parbon, a three-day communal feast and cultural event, is also held.

The most essential feature of this event is the custom of producing rice-based delights that represent Bengal’s culinary. The first harvest of rice, flavoured with nolen gur, milk, and coconut, takes center stage. Gathering in kitchens, families turn these basic ingredients into delectable treats and ritually enjoy them together.

The thin crepes known as paatishapta, which are filled with caramelised coconut and jaggery, are among the most famous meals. They symbolise the sweetness and cosiness of the season and are soft and golden. The same is true of Puli Pithe, which are rice flour dumplings filled with coconut stuffed with jaggery and cooked in sweetened milk.

The celebration table also offers the delicious fried Gokul Pitha, a dish that blends khoya, jaggery, and coconut to create a delicious filling. Nolen Gurer Payesh, Bengal’s version of kheer, is a highlight of the dessert repertoire. Made with fragrant gobindobhog rice, this dish is elevated by the rich, molasses-like flavour of date palm jaggery, which gives it a distinctive aroma and depth.

The festival table also features dishes like Koraishutir Kachori, which are deep-fried breads stuffed with a spiced green pea filling. These are typically served with a hearty bowl of Cholar Dal or an Aloo Dum, completing a meal that reflects the bounty of the season.

Maha Poush Sankranti is more than just a festival; it’s a celebration of life, the harvest, and Bengali cuisine. The delight of this event rests not just in the tastes but in the process of cooking together, sharing meals and passing along traditions that have been savoured for centuries.

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