Editing Sankranti (section)

==Important Sankrantis==
* '''[[Makar Sankranti]]''': Marks the transition of the Sun into Makara Râshi (Capricorn) on its celestial path, and the six-month [[Uttarayana]] period.<ref name="Lochtefeld2002"/> Makar Sankranti is also called Uttarayana - the day on which the sun begins his northward journey. The traditional Indian calendar is based on lunar positions, Sankranti is a solar event. The date of Makar Sankranti remains constant over a long term, 14 January or occasionally, 15 January as the Sun begins to rise in Makara Râshi.
*'''[[Mesha Sankranti]]''': Marks the beginning of the New Year in the traditional [[Hindu calendar|Hindu Solar Calendar]]. On this day, the sun enters the sidereal [[Aries (astrology)|Aries]], or Mesha Râshi. It generally falls on 14/15 April. Regional New Year festivals also take place on this day: [[Vishu]] in [[Kerala]], [[Puthandu]] in [[Tamil Nadu]], [[Bisu Parba]] in [[Tulu Nadu]] region, [[Vaisakhi]] in the [[Punjab region]], [[Pana Sankranti]] in [[Odisha]], [[Maithili New Year|Jude Sheetal]] in [[Mithila (region)|Mithila]] region of Bihar and [[Satuaan]] in [[Bhojpuri region]] and on the day after [[Mesha Sankranti]], is [[Pohela Boishakh]] in [[Bengal]] and [[Bohag Bihu]] in [[Assam]] and Avuruddu in Sri Lanka,and Songkran in Southeast Asia 

* '''[[Raja (festival)|Mithuna Sankranti]]''': celebrated as annual menstruating phase of Mother [[Earth]] as [[Raja Parba]] or [[Ambubachi Mela]] in Eastern and North Eastern provinces of India.
* '''Dhanu Sankranti''': celebrated on the first day of the solar month.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.orissa.oriyaonline.com/dhanu_sankranti.html |title=Festivals of Orissa - Dhanu Sankranti |work=orissa.oriyaonline.com |quote=Dhanu Sankranti is celebrated on the first day of lunar Pousha month. |access-date=24 December 2012 |archive-date=October 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015065422/http://www.orissa.oriyaonline.com/dhanu_sankranti.html}}</ref> In Southern Bhutan and Nepal it is celebrated by eating wild potatoes (Darul). The 2017 date is December 17.
* '''Karka Sankranti''': July 16, marks the transition of the Sun into Karka [[Rāshi (Jyotiṣa)|Râshi]] ([[Cancer (astrology)|Cancer]]). This also marks the end of the six-month [[Uttarayana]] period on the [[Hindu calendar]], and the beginning of [[Dakshinayana]], which itself end at Makar Sankranti.<ref name="Lochtefeld2002">{{cite book |author=James G. Lochtefeld |title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5kl0DYIjUPgC&pg=PA351 |date=2002 |publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-8239-3179-8 |pages=351–}}</ref>
*'''Simha Sankranti''': It is celebrated on the first day of the solar month on the [[Hindu calendar]] i.e. [[Bhadra (Hindu calendar)|Bhadrapada]]. The festival holds special significance in [[Ramban district]] of [[Jammu Division|Jammu division]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Qazi|first=S. A.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZZh3Zkoqtc4C&q=Singh+Sankranti+Ramban&pg=PA9|title=Systematic Geography of Jammu and Kashmir|date=2005|publisher=APH Publishing|isbn=978-81-7648-786-3|language=en}}</ref> People visit [[Chenab River|Chandrabhaga]] river and offer floral offerings. It is popularly known by the name ''Singh Sankrant.'' Local tradition traces the origin of the festival to [[Pandava|Pandavas]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ganhar|first=J. N.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-0ogAAAAMAAJ|title=Jammu, Shrines and Pilgrimages|date=1975|publisher=Ganhar Publications|language=en}}</ref>
*'''Nol Sankranti''': It is celebrated on the first day of the solar month on the [[Hindu calendar]] i.e. [[Kartik (month)]]. It is also called Dak Sankranti. Sadh Bhokhon or Godbharai is a special tradition for pregnant Hindu women. Hindu people believe that rice plants are too pregnant from the middle of September to the middle of October, so the farmers arrange a ritual for good production of paddy like the production of the Nol plant.  Borassus flabellifer seeds are used as prasad. The festival holds special significance in West Bengal and Assam state.