The festival marks the Sun’s transition into Capricorn, the beginning of Uttarayan, and is considered highly auspicious for bathing, charity, and spiritual practices
Maghe Sankranti is being observed today across Nepal with religious devotion and cultural enthusiasm. The festival marks the day when the Sun moves from Sagittarius (Dhanu Rashi) into Capricorn (Makar Rashi), which is why the first day of Magh is known as Makar, or Maghe, Sankranti.
With the beginning of Magh 1, Uttarayan also starts, after which days gradually become longer than nights. According to religious belief, acts such as holy bathing, chanting, penance, meditation, and charity performed on this day are considered highly meritorious.
As a result, large crowds of devotees gather for Maghe Snan (holy bathing) at sacred sites including Mai River, Devghat, Trishuli, Kaligandaki, Bagmati, Indrawati, Triveni, and Ridi. Special fairs are also held at many of these locations. In the Tarai region, Magh 1 is celebrated as Nahan, or the bathing festival, with the belief that bathing on this day is mandatory even for those who may not bathe regularly throughout the year.
Religious belief holds that taking a holy bath early in the morning and donating sesame seeds on this day yields merit equal to donating gold. Citing religious scriptures, scholar Prof. Toyaraj Nepal states that those who fail to bathe in water bodies, meditate, donate, or consume foods such as ghee, chaku, sesame-based dishes, and khichdi on Magh 1 are believed to suffer from illness throughout their lives, as mentioned in Dharma Sindhu.
The period after Uttarayan is considered favorable for auspicious activities. There is a widespread belief that those who observe fasting, charity, meditation, and holy bathing on this day earn spiritual merit and see their wishes fulfilled.
Traditionally, people consume ghee, chaku, sesame-based sweets, tarul (yam), spinach, and khichdi on Maghe Sankranti. These foods are believed to provide warmth during winter, which is why warm dishes are preferred during this cold-season festival. According to Ayurvedic practitioners, such foods help balance the body’s three doshas.
In many places, tarul is cooked on the last day of Poush and eaten during Magh, giving rise to the popular saying, “Cooked in Poush, eaten in Magh.” There is also a belief that massaging the body with sesame oil on this day helps remove toxins. Ayurveda holds that sesame oil massage strengthens nerves, muscles, and bones, keeping the body healthy and resilient.