Makar Sankranti is a festival of light, harvest and open skies. It marks the shift of the sun. It marks new crops. It also marks a season of playful contests that once brought entire communities together. Every state has its own games. These games carry memories of fields, terraces, courtyards and long winter afternoons. But many of them are slowly fading.
The Games That Once Ruled Makar Sankranti
Kite Flying in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh
The most famous Sankranti game is kite flying. Cities like Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Varanasi wake up early. Terraces fill with families and children. Colored kites rise in the sky. People challenge each other by cutting strings. The festival becomes a day-long battle of skill, patience and wind reading.
Traditional Field Games of Maharashtra
Villages in Maharashtra once played kho kho, kabaddi, gilli danda, langdi and lagori. These games were simple. All you needed were open grounds and friends. In some rural parts boys climbed sugarcane poles smeared with oil to win small prizes. Kids spun wooden tops after morning rituals and visited neighbours with small sesame sweets.
Rustic Magh Bihu Games of Assam
Assam celebrates Magh Bihu with games that come from farming life. People take part in tug of war, tekeli bhonga where players break pots blindfolded, egg fighting, bamboo pole climbing and mock fights. Young boys play simple running games in the fields beside makeshift Bihu huts.
Pongal Sports of Tamil Nadu
Pongal brings its own set of traditional games. Jallikattu is the most known. Villages also host uri adithal where players break a hanging pot, races, kabaddi matches and silambam demonstrations. Families spend afternoons watching local boys test strength and balance.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Village Contests
People here played golla gulla, kabaddi, running races, small bullock cart shows, kites and simple street games. Every neighbourhood had its own informal team and rules that older boys taught the younger ones.
Rural Games of Bihar and Jharkhand
During Sankranti, kids played marbles, gulli danda, pitthoo, katiya and hopscotch. Many villages still host small wrestling bouts. Tribal communities played bow-and-arrow accuracy games linked to hunting traditions
Why These Games Mattered
These games taught skill and stamina. They helped children understand seasons, crops, teamwork and discipline. They created bonds between generations. Elders corrected mistakes. Younger players followed local rules. The festival felt complete only when the fields and terraces echoed with shouting, laughter and competition.
Why They Are Disappearing Today
The decline is slow but visible everywhere. Open spaces are shrinking. Playgrounds, empty fields and village commons have become real estate. Children no longer have safe places to run or practice.
Screens have replaced courtyards. Phones, television and online games pull attention indoors. Children spend more time scrolling than chasing or climbing. School pressure leaves little free time. Coaching centres and tight schedules reduce unstructured play. Traditional games need time, not timing.
Migration breaks continuity. Young people move to cities. They lose touch with the games their elders played. No one left behind knows the rules well enough to pass them on.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Why is kite flying the most famous Makar Sankranti game?
A: Kite flying is popular because the festival marks the sun's return and the start of warmer, brighter days. Traditionally, flying kites was a way to be outdoors and soak in the healthy morning sunlight after a long winter. The steady winds of this season also make it the perfect time for the activity.
Q2: What is Jallikattu, the famous Pongal sport?
A: Jallikattu is a traditional and controversial bull-taming sport in Tamil Nadu where participants attempt to grab the hump of a bull. It is deeply rooted in the region's culture as a celebration of bravery and the importance of cattle in an agricultural society.
Q3: Are any of these traditional games still played today?
A: Yes, while less common in big cities, many of these games are still actively played in rural areas during the festival. Games like Kabaddi have seen a major professional revival. Kite flying remains immensely popular, and community efforts are helping to bring back other games during local celebrations.
