“MAKAR BANDHU” ( MAKAR FRIENDSHIP) : A Beautiful Tradition of Odisha

 

“MAKAR BANDHU”

( MAKAR FRIENDSHIP) A Beautiful Tradition of Odisha

  

Today, the first day of “ Shukla Pakshya “ ( the moon light fortnight ) of the month of “ Pausha “ as per Indian calendar covering the overlapping parts of December and January of English Calender is the day of “ MAKAR SHANKRANTI “. “MAKAR” is also one of the 12-Zodiac Signs that are assigned to name the 12moths of the year also as per Indian astrological calender system and “MAKAR “ is one of such months covering a month overlapping parts of two months of most winter season in India, named as the months of “ Pausha “ ( overlapping December and January ) and “ Magha ( overlapping January and February ). Makar Shankranti is also signified by the observation, that from today, in astrological terms the Sun Graha starts making movement towards north ( Uttarayan ) and in Scientific terms the earths North Pole by its movement closer towards the Sun as a result winter starts receding from this date by exposure to more sunlight. This year in 2021, Makar Shankranti has fallen on January 14th day. Makar Shankranti is an important festival day celebrated across India in various ways and by various names. Some of the most popular names known for this day are “ Lohri “ around Punjab and Haryana in the North and West, “Uttarayan” around Gujarat in West, “ Bihu” in Assam and North East, “ Makar /Pausha Shankranti “ around West Bengal/ Odisha in the East and “ Pongal “ in around Tamil Nadu in the South. While it is celebrated in different ways in different parts of India as a festival, the most common theme of the festival is “ Celebrating Harvest “ of the staple crops.

The State of Odisha ( in India ) has some traditions of solemnising close friendships among people that used to exist in the past. Some names of such solemnised close friendships that existed very much in the past ( may not be so in present modern days ) are : “Sangata”, “Sahi”, “Maitra” and “Makar”. These are basically solemnised and accepted friendships ( Bandhutwa ) for life between two non-blood relatives. While Sangata, Sahi and Maitra used to get solemnised by exchange of “ Maha Prasad “ ( Offering or Prasad from the Temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri ) between two persons, “ Makar Bandhu “ ( Makar Friendship ) used to get solemnised by exchange of “ Makar Chaula “ ( Makar Rice ) that gets prepared in the Odisha families on Makar Shankranti as the offering (Prasad) for worshipping the “ Sun God “. These solemnised friendships did happen between two persons who felt as close friends or best friends and used to be extended to their families and it used to get accepted and observed as good as close families of relatives, even though non-blood relations, but as good as blood-relatives, even better. Interestingly “Maitra” used to be the friendship between “two” persons when both have same first names. The rest friendships named are between two persons who become close friends and accept their close friendships and solemnise their friendships. Thus “ Makar Bandhu “ is a tradition and it is solemnised between two persons as close friends by exchange of “ Makara Chaula “ ( Makar Rice prepared typically on Makar Shankranti as offering for Sun God) on the day of Makar Shankranti in the name of “ Sun God “ to remain as friends for life ( even as good as blood relatives or even better ).

The significance of “ Makar Bandhu “  is attached and respected to such an extent, that, as the Sun God stays time eternal and does not vanish, the friendship stays in force for life between the two persons and even their families. Considering Indian cultural traditions, these solemnised friendships used to happen between two persons of same gender and not in cross genders, but once solemnised used to get extended and converted to family friendships. The cross gender limitation existed in such friendships due to cultural conservatism of cross gender relationships in Indian society which was limited to marriage in the past.

The significance of “ Makar Bandhu” is less published and less known, however it existed in Odisha significantly among the people.

( Written on the Makar Shankranti Day, the January 14, 2021 ) 

About the Author : Dr. Nimain Charan  Biswal is a B.Sc.(Agri. Science and Technology). M.B.A. and Ph.D.( Management Area ) by qualifications and he has 35 years of work experience in both  industrial and development sectors in diversified fields of social importance. He has been educated at Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT)-Bhubaneswar, Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) and Gujarat University ( with Resource Support of IIM-Ahmedabad ). Dr.Biswal is further educated at IIM-Calcutta, XLRI-Jamshedpur, Apple Computer Industries and Spar Inc., USA. He has worked for reputed National and International Organisations in Senior/Top Management Capacities. He is a management  expert covering extensive areas from management in agriculture, industrial management, development management to management of public systems. He is a prominent professional of India and known Internationally as well. He lives at Mumbai in India.


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