Hadaga Festival |
People exchange multi-colored tilguds made from til (sesame seeds) and sugar and til-laddus made from til and jaggery. Til-polis are offered for lunch. While exchanging tilguls as tokens of goodwill people greet each other saying - 'til-gul ghya, god bola' meaning 'accept these tilguls and speak sweet words'. The underlying thought in the exchange of tilguls is to forget the past ill feelings and hostilities and resolve to speak sweetly and remain friends.
This is a special day for the women in Maharashtra when married women are invited for a get-together called 'Haldi-Kumkum' and given gifts of any utensil, that the woman of the house purchases on that day. A newlywed woman gives away oil, cotton and sesame seeds to mark this auspicious day of Makar Sankranti. This is believed to bestow upon her and her family long life and prosperity.