Makar Sankranti 2027: Ganga snan and darshan in Kashi

Makar Sankranti marks the day the sun enters Makara rashi (Capricorn). It is one of the few Hindu festivals set by the sun rather than the moon, which is why it falls on nearly the same date every year.

The day also marks the start of Uttarayan, the sun’s northward journey, which is considered an auspicious time for prayer, charity and new beginnings. Across India it goes by many names: Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Lohri the evening before in Punjab, Uttarayan in Gujarat, and Khichdi in much of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, after the dish that is cooked, offered and given away on the day.

For devotees, the heart of the day is the holy dip, ideally in the Ganga, followed by daan, giving to those in need.

Makar Sankranti usually falls on 14 or 15 January. Which of the two it is in a given year depends on the exact moment the sun enters Makara; when that moment falls late in the day, the festival and its snan are often observed the next day.

The exact 2027 date follows the Hindu calendar, and we confirm it as the year’s panchang is published. The panchang also gives the punya kaal, the most auspicious window for the snan and daan, which is usually in the morning hours. Your family pandit, or the pandit for a ghat puja, can guide you on the right time.

Because the date is so close each year, many families plan a January visit in advance and then fix the day once the panchang is out.

In Kashi, Makar Sankranti begins before sunrise. Families walk down to the ghats in the dark, take a dip in the Ganga as the sun comes up, and offer arghya (water) to Surya.

After the snan, it is customary to give daan: til (sesame), gud (jaggery), khichdi made from rice and lentils, blankets and warm clothes are the traditional gifts in the cold of January. Many households also eat khichdi and til sweets at home that day.

The main ghats, including Dashashwamedh, are crowded from early morning. If you are bathing with elders or children:

• Use the steps and the shallow edge; stay close together and hold hands in the water.
• Carry a towel, a change of clothes and a shawl. January mornings on the river are cold.
• Keep your belongings with someone who stays on the steps.

Many devotees complete the day with a Sankalp puja at the ghat, a short ritual in which you take a vow and offer prayers with a pandit, and then go on for darshan at Kashi Vishwanath.

After the snan, a large number of devotees head straight to Kashi Vishwanath, so the morning queue on Makar Sankranti is long. The temple’s visiting hours are listed as 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and it may adjust its arrangements on festival days.

A Sugam darshan ticket, the temple’s official paid entry, helps you plan the morning: on regular days, entry and darshan usually take 30 to 45 minutes, and on peak days up to 90 minutes. Each devotee above 12 needs a ticket with Aadhaar details; children under 12 go free.

If the morning is too crowded, an afternoon darshan, or one the day before or after, is often calmer. See darshan timings for the daily aartis.

January is cold in Varanasi, and morning fog can delay trains and flights. Arriving a day before Sankranti gives you a buffer and lets you be at the ghat by dawn.

MandirMay is an independent platform and is not affiliated with the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust. We can arrange:

• Sugam darshan booking assistance for the temple’s official ticket
• A Sankalp puja at the Ganga ghat, or a Rudrabhishek with one, two or four pandits
• A hotel room about a 2–3 minute walk from the temple, so you can walk to the ghat before sunrise
• Pickup and drop for Varanasi Airport (about 25 km) or Varanasi Junction (about 5 km)
• The evening boat on the Ganga, or a ready-made Kashi Darshan, Ganga Aarti & Boat trip when one fits your dates

Kashi bookings are non-refundable and can’t be rescheduled, so book once the 2027 date is confirmed and your travel is fixed. Today’s prices are in the tables below.