Happy Sankranti

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Makar(a)Sankrānti (Sanskrit: मकरसङ्क्रान्ति, romanized: Makarasaṅkrānti), (transl. Capricorn Festival) also referred to as UttarāyanaMakara, or simply Sankrānti, is a harvest festival (literal: Suggi Habba in Kannada).  Usually falling on the date of 14 January annually (15 January on a leap year), this occasion marks the transition of the sun from the zodiac of Sagittarius (dhanu) to Capricorn (makara). Since the sun has made this transition which coincides with moving from south to north, the festival is dedicated to the solar deity, Surya, and is observed to mark a new beginning.

Kalidasa’s Ritusamhara (Garland of Seasons) is structured around the six seasons – Grishma (Summer), Varsha (Monsoon), Sharad (Autumn), Hemanta (Pre-winter), Shishira (Winter), Vasanta (Spring) –  with each section dedicated to that particular season’s unique characteristics and moods. Shishira is presented as winter, marked by cold temperatures, misty mornings, and the serene barrenness of Nature. Despite the cold, there is a tranquil beauty in the winter landscape.

I asked ChatGPT to give me Kalidasa’s excerpt about Winter:

When winter spreads her silken veil,
The earth dons hues both soft and pale.
Cool winds, like whispers, weave and play,
Through leaves that quiver, night and day.

Fields gleam with frost, a silver sheet,
While hearths blaze warm where hearts do meet.
Men wear garlands of fragrant flowers,
And honeyed wine fills festive hours.

The tender moon glows soft, subdued,
Bathing the land in a tranquil mood.
Fur-lined shawls and silks caress,
Shielding all from the cold’s caress.

In the stillness, love takes root,
With hearts unbound, in winter’s suit.
Nature sleeps, yet dreams unfold,
In this season of quiet, stories retold.

Let me take the opportunity to give an exciting update –  which promises to be a new beginning indeed – about the legal case that is central to the documentary film Broken, well summarized by the Boston Globe’s Editorial (from last Friday, following the oral arguments made to MA SJC on January 6th, 2025):

SJC should release court records in Harmony Montgomery case

If any case called out for piercing the veil of privacy that covers juvenile cases — so the press, public, and policy makers can determine what went wrong, call attention to it, and press for systemic changes — it is this one.

I heard the oral arguments (live, but virtually) on January 6th, and was very impressed with the judges as they probed counsels from both sides. Here is the video made available through Suffolk University Law School. I think you will also find it very informative.

Let us see how (and when) the judges give their verdict. In the meantime, Happy New Year, and Happy Sankranti.

Update. From Carl Blackburn:

Hi Sridhar, Happy Sankranti, a friend from Russia tells me that the Orthodox Christian new year is celebrated at the start of the Julian calender, which in the 20th and 21st centuries also falls on January 14 in the Gregorian calendar. I just checked wiki and lots of countries have a new year festival on Jan 14th too. Must be a deep instinct to celebrate the returning sun.
Best
Carl

PS. Some of you may recall my post Tayurian Calendar from a few years back!

1 comment

  1. Great to see! At first glance, it seems Broken is advocating that there are way too many removals from homes but also that Massachusetts was also not tough enough in letting the child who sadly died remain with her father. Did you sense this tension in what you have seen? Or do they think a Pareto improvement of remain-in-home safety + removal rate is achievable?

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