Sankranti Daan: What Is Given, to Whom, When, and What the Texts Say

Quick answer: On Makar Sankranti, Hindus traditionally give daan (charitable gifts): sesame (til) and jaggery, khichdi grains, blankets and warm clothes, food grain, and support for cows. Gifts are usually made after the morning bath, in the Punya Kaal. The texts attach great merit to Sankranti giving; we describe that belief, but promise no result.

Sankranti daan 2027: key facts

Confirm timings with your local panchang or temple priest.

What is given as Sankranti daan?

What you give is a family and regional custom. No single list binds every Hindu.

What do the dharmashastra texts say?

The best modern guide here is P.V. Kane's History of Dharmasastra (volume V, part I, 1958), which collects what the Puranas and the medieval digests (nibandhas) say about Makara Sankranti. We summarise his account; we do not quote verses.

• Every sankranti is a holy day. Kane notes that all twelve solar sankrantis were treated as holy, and that a bath on a sankranti was regarded as obligatory.
• The Matsya Purana (chapter 98) describes a sankranti vow: a single meal the day before; on the day, a bath in water mixed with sesame; and the gift of vessels of food and a cow to a householder brahmana. Kane notes the text's concession that a person who cannot afford more should simply offer fruit.
• A gift for each sankranti. The thirteenth-century digest writer Hemadri, drawing on an older authority (Vishvamitra), assigns a gift to each of the twelve sankrantis. For Makara, the gift is wood and fire.
• Sesame above all. Kane cites the Skanda Purana on the gift of a "sesame cow" (tila-dhenu, a cow shaped from a heap of sesame) at Uttarayana; the Vishnudharmottara on gifts of garments, and of sesame and a draught bull; and the Shivarahasya, which asks that sesame be used in six ways that day: in the bath water, rubbed on the body, in water offered to the gods and ancestors, given to brahmanas, eaten, and offered into the sacred fire.
• Ghee and a blanket. Kane cites the Kalika Purana, as quoted by Hemadri, for the gift of ghee and a washed blanket at Uttarayana, with food for brahmanas and ascetics.
• Gifts after dark are allowed. Night-time gifts are normally avoided, but Kane cites the Bhavishya Purana and Gobhila for exceptions that include a sankranti.

The epic also praises sesame giving. In the Mahabharata's Anushasana Parva (section 66 in K.M. Ganguli's translation), Bhishma tells Yudhishthira about the merit of giving sesame in the month of Magha.

Why sesame? Kane admits it is difficult to say, and suggests (as his own guess, not a rule of the texts) that an oily, nourishing seed easily available at the start of winter was a natural choice.

Is there a right way to give?

The Bhagavad Gita (17.20–22) describes three kinds of giving. In our own words: the best gift is given because it is right to give, at the proper place and time, to a worthy person who cannot repay you. A gift given grudgingly, or for a return, is lesser. A gift given at the wrong time, to the wrong person, or with contempt, is the lowest. For Sankranti today: give something useful, respectfully, expecting nothing back.

The Puranic passages describe great rewards for these gifts, in the language of their time. HinduTone reports what the texts say; we do not promise wealth, health or any other result from a donation.

Regional customs

Uttar Pradesh and Bihar: khichdi daan

In the Hindi-speaking regions, Makar Sankranti is often simply called Khichdi. The Gorakhnath Mandir in Gorakhpur explains on its own website that giving dal, rice and black sesame on Sankranti is considered very meritorious, and that the scriptures prescribe gifts of wood and clothing so that poor people can keep warm in the cold. Devotees offer khichdi at the temple, where the annual Khichdi Mela begins at Sankranti. The Government of Bihar's fairs page also notes that the festival is colloquially called Khichdi there. See Khichdi Sankranti in Uttar Pradesh and Makar Sankranti in Bihar and Jharkhand.

Maharashtra: tilgul and vaan

In Maharashtra, married women host haldi-kumkum (turmeric and vermilion) gatherings from Sankranti to Ratha Saptami. Guests receive tilgul (sesame-jaggery sweets) and a small gift called vaan. Lokmat Times describes vaan as a form of giving, with the belief that it brings merit and prosperity to the household, and lists seasonal items such as sesame, jaggery, sugarcane, chickpeas, jujube berries and carrots. Kane, writing in 1958 just before he discusses the Marathi tilgul greeting, described gifts made mostly by women in his day: women honouring priests with vessels holding betel nuts and coins, and giving women friends small clay pots with turmeric, red powder and sugarcane. People greet each other with "tilgul ghya ani god god bola", which Maharashtra Tourism translates as "take this sweet and speak kindly". See Makar Sankranti in Maharashtra.

West Bengal: the Gangasagar bath

In Bengal, the best-known Sankranti observance is the pilgrimage to Sagar Island, where the Ganga meets the Bay of Bengal, for a bath at the confluence and a visit to the Kapil Muni temple (Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism). The Gorakhnath Mandir's page also names Gangasagar, with Kashi and Prayag, among the most meritorious places for the Sankranti bath. The 2027 Gangasagar Mela dates will be announced by the West Bengal government. At home, Bengal keeps Poush Sankranti with pithe made from new rice: see Poush Sankranti in West Bengal.

How to give daan at home

1. Decide what to give the day before: a bag of sesame and jaggery, khichdi grains, a blanket, or a donation.
2. On the day, bathe early. Many families add a few sesame seeds to the bath water.
3. Offer water to the Sun (see our Surya arghya guide) and do your home puja.
4. Set the gifts before the family deity for a moment, then hand them over, ideally within your local Punya Kaal.

For the full home puja, see Makar Sankranti puja at home. For a shopping list, see the puja samagri checklist.

Giving well abroad

Mid-January is deep winter in North America and Europe, so the old gifts of blankets, fuel and food translate easily. For local dates see our Makar Sankranti dates abroad.

• Food banks and shelters: donate grain, lentils or a cash gift through an established local food bank or shelter. Ask what they need first; many prefer money or sealed, labelled food.
• Warm clothing: give coats and blankets through an organisation that accepts them, clean and in good condition.
• Temple drives: many Hindu temples run annadanam (free food) funds or winter collections around Sankranti. Check your temple's own website or notice board for what it is collecting.
• Cows and checks: a donation to a temple or cow-care charity keeps the custom; confirm any charity is registered with your country's charity regulator first.
• Allergens: if you give sweets or cooked food, label anything containing sesame, nuts or dairy. Sesame is a common allergen.

Frequently asked questions

What should I donate on Makar Sankranti?

Sesame and jaggery are the most traditional gifts. Khichdi grains, blankets and warm clothes, food grain, and help for cows are also customary. Choose what will be useful to the person or group receiving it.

When should Sankranti daan be given?

Traditionally after the morning bath, within the Punya Kaal for your city. In 2027 that is Friday 15 January in India and Thursday 14 January in the USA, Canada and the UK, per Drik Panchang. Confirm with your local panchang or temple priest.

Can I give daan after sunset?

Gifts are normally made by day, but Kane notes that the texts he surveyed allow gifts at night on a sankranti. If you work during the day, giving in the evening is fine.

Do I have to give to a brahmana?

The classical texts name brahmanas as recipients, and many families still give to their priest. Most families today also give to people in need, temples and goshalas. Follow your family custom.

What is khichdi daan?

It is the gift of khichdi ingredients (rice, dal and often black sesame) or cooked khichdi on Makar Sankranti. It is especially common in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where the festival itself is called Khichdi.

Will Sankranti daan bring me good fortune?

The Puranas describe great merit for Sankranti gifts, and many families give in that faith. HinduTone does not promise any result. Give because it helps someone.

Sources

• P.V. Kane, History of Dharmasastra, vol. V, part I (Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, 1958), chapter XI, "Makarasankranti and Mahasivaratri", pp. 211–236, especially pp. 217–223 (Matsya Purana ch. 98; Hemadri and Vishvamitra; Skanda Purana; Vishnudharmottara; Shivarahasya; Kalika Purana; Bhavishya Purana and Gobhila on gifts at night; modern customs): https://archive.org/details/KhistoryOfDharmasastraancientAndMediaevalReligiousAndCivilLaw (accessed 12 November 2026).
• K.M. Ganguli (trans.), The Mahabharata, Anushasana Parva section 66 (gifts of sesame in Magha), Project Gutenberg vol. 4: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15477 (accessed 12 November 2026).
• K.M. Ganguli (trans.), The Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva section 41 (Bhagavad Gita 17.20–22, three kinds of gift), Project Gutenberg vol. 2: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15475 (accessed 12 November 2026).
• Gorakhnath Mandir, Gorakhpur, "Makar Sankranti" (khichdi; dal, rice and black sesame; wood and clothing for the poor; Gangasagar, Kashi and Prayag): https://gorakhnathmandir.in/makarsankrani.aspx (accessed 12 November 2026).
• Government of Bihar, fairs and festivals ("Khichdi"): https://betastate.bihar.gov.in/fairs.aspx (accessed 12 November 2026).
• Lokmat Times, "Why haldi-kumkum is celebrated from Makar Sankranti till Ratha Saptami" (vaan; seasonal gifts): https://www.lokmattimes.com/lifestyle/why-haldi-kumkum-is-celebrated-from-makar-sankranti-till-ratha-saptami-a510/ (accessed 12 November 2026).
• Maharashtra Tourism (Government of Maharashtra), Makar Sankranti (haldi-kumkum; tilgul; "Tilgul ghya ani god god bola"): https://maharashtratourism.gov.in/festivals/makar-sankranti/ (accessed 12 November 2026).
• Ministry of Tourism, Government of India (Incredible India), Gangasagar Mela: https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/en/festivals-and-events/west-bengal/gangasagar-mela (accessed 12 November 2026).
• Drik Panchang, Makar Sankranti 2027 moment and Punya Kaal for New Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, New York, Toronto, Vancouver and London, via our 2027 date data (accessed November 2026).

Last reviewed: 12 November 2026.

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