Why do we fly kites in Makar Sankranti?

Makar Sankranti is one of the most famous festivals in India and it holds a great significance in Hindu religion. It is one of the most popular harvest festivals and falls on 14th January every year. The day is believed to mark the arrival of spring in our country and the end of the winter season. Since this day, the days start to get longer and the nights start to get shorter.

According to some beliefs, people fly kites on Makar Sankranti in order to be exposed to the sun rays. This way people can get rid of skin infections and illnesses that are associated with winter. It is more important to get sun rays during this time as people weren’t able to get it for a long period of time during the winter months. The exposure to initial rays of the sun is specifically considered beneficial to health as it is good source of Vitamin D. Along with this, people also believe that flying kites is a way of thanking gods as it is believed that Gods wake up on the day of Makar Sankranti after a period of six months.