Makar Sankranti Special: 6 Traditional Dishes Celebrating Harvest & Warmth

By Aditi Saraswat

January 13, 2026

 Makar Sankranti is a harvest celebration that is celebrated by serving on a plate. Pan India, seasonal grains, lentils, sesame, and jaggery are blended in dishes that warm the body and honour the season.

Til-Gud Ladoo

Roasted sesame seeds are ground with jaggery and shaped into ladoos, which offer warmth, natural sweetness, and energy, ideal for winter mornings.

Khichdi with Ghee & Pickle

It is a comforting mix of rice and lentils that is slow-cooked, topped with a dollop of ghee and served with pickle. It is simple, nourishing, and symbolic of harvest.

Ven Pongal

Rice and moong dal are blended, seasoned with pepper, cumin, ginger, and ghee. It is creamy, mildly spiced, and extremely satisfying, making it a staple of Sankranti.

Undhiyu 

It is a slow-cooked winter vegetable mixture with fenugreek dumplings, coconut, and spices. It is traditionally enjoyed during Uttarayan celebrations.

Pithe

These are rice flour dumplings stuffed with jaggery and coconut, which can be steamed or fried. It is soft, sweet, and nostalgic, making the harvest season and the warmth of Sankranti.

Til Gul Poli 

It is a soft wheat flatbread that is stuffed with sesame-jaggery filling, roasted with ghee, fragrant, and symbolic of speaking sweetly as the sun’s journey turns auspicious.