Makar Sankranti 2018 pictures: Hindu devotees bathe in sacred water to celebrate the end of winter
Makar Sankranti marks the winter solstice and the transition of the sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn. Devotees also thank Surya the sun god for the coming harvest season.
Thousands of pilgrims gathered to take a holy dip at the confluence of two major Indian rivers (and one invisible or mythical one) during one of Hinduism's most important festivals. Makar Sankranti is held every year on 14 January to mark the winter solstice and the transition of the sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn. It also marks the start of the harvest season, with devotees giving thanks to Surya the sun god.
In this gallery, we first look at devotees preparing for Makar Sankranti festivities in two locations. Just outside Kolkata, devotees and sadhus (Hindu holy men) mark the day by taking a dip at Ganga Sagar, the point where the River Ganges meets the Bay of Bengal.
At Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh state, up to two million Hindus gather to bathe at Sangam, the confluence of the two of India's major rivers: the Ganges and the Yamuna. A third river, the Saraswati, which was mentioned in ancient sacred texts, is also believed to meet here.
We also look at celebrations around the Indian subcontinent, where it is known by many different names, such as Thai Pongal in Tamil Nadu, and Lohri in Punjab,
Hindu devotees bathe at Gangasagar, some 150 kms south of KolkataDibyangshu Sarkar/AFPSadhus or Hindu holy men pray with devotees during the Magh Mela festival in AllahabadJitendra Prakash/ReutersA man devotee helps his mother to take a dip in the waters of the holy riversDibyangshu Sarkar/AFPHindu devotees arrive in Allahabad on a foggy winter morning to take a holy dip at Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati riversJitendra Prakash/ReutersA Sadhu or a Hindu holy man takes a dip in the waters of the river Ganges on the occasion of the Makar Sankranti festival in KolkataRupak de Chowdhuri/ReutersA man runs out of the water after taking a dip on a cold and foggy evening in AllahabadDibyangshu Sarkar/AFPHindu devotees gather to take a holy dip at Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers, on a foggy winter morning in AllahabadDibyangshu Sarkar/AFPHindu devotees bathe and perform rituals at Ssagar Island, in the Ganges Delta, around 150 kms south of KolkataDibyangshu Sarkar/AFPA Hindu devotee passes clothes hanging to dry as she walks back after taking a dip at GangasagarDibyangshu Sarkar/AFPDevotees cross a pontoon during the Magh Mela festival in AllahabadJitendra Prakash/ReutersA Sadhu or a Hindu holy man does yoga in the hope of receiving money from pilgrims heading to Sagar Island for the festival of Makar SankrantiRupak de Chowdhuri/ReutersA sadhu, or Hindu holy man, comes out of the water after taking a holy dip at GangasagarDibyangshu Sarkar/AFPHindu devotees dry clothing after bathing at Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, in AllahabadSanjay Kanojia/AFPDevotees step into the water at Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, in AllahabadSanjay Kanojia/AFPDevotees huddle together to keep warm after bathing in the waters on a misty morningXavier Galiana/AFPHindu devotees prepare to board a boat to start their return journey after bathing and performing rituals at GangasagarDibyangshu Sarkar/AFPAmitbhai Shah, the National President of the Bhartiya Janta President (BJP) party, flies a kite in AhmedabadSam Panthaky/AFPDevotees light oil lamps during the Magh Mela gathering Gangasagar, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, in AllahabadSanjay Kanojia/AFPPart of a giant tent city built for pilgrims attending the Magh Mela, a month-long Hindu festival, in AllahabadJitendra Prakash/ReutersGirls perform a traditional folk dance around a bonfire as they celebrate the festival of Lohri in Jammu, KashmirMukesh Gupta/ReutersA Hindu woman holds burning incense and a candle as she prays after taking a dip in the waters of the river Howrah in Chakmaghat village in the northeastern state of TripuraJayanta Dey/ReutersDevotees cook rice during the Tamil harvest festival of Thai Pongal at a Hindu temple in Colombo, Sri LankaDinuka Liyanawatte/ReutersDevotees prepare rice dishes to offer to the Hindu Sun God as they attend Pongal celebrations at dawn in MumbaiDanish Siddiqui/ReutersWomen ride on a bull cart during celebrations for Pongal, the Tamil harvest festival, at a college in ChennaiArun Sankar/AFPA student plays on a swing during celebrations for Pongal, the Tamil harvest festival, at a college in ChennaiArun Sankar/AFP
