Makar Sankranti 2027: Dates, Where to Celebrate and Travel Tips

Makar Sankranti 2027 falls on Thursday 14 January 2027, the date in the Government of India's 2027 restricted holiday list, issued by DoP&T on 16 July 2026 ¹. The same list gives Pongal on Friday 15 January 2027 ¹. In Gujarat the festival is called Uttarayan, and the second day, 15 January, is Vasi Uttarayan, literally "stale" Uttarayan ^{7 9}.

Unlike most Hindu festivals, Makar Sankranti follows the sun, not the moon. It marks the Sun's move from Sagittarius into Capricorn, Makara, measured on the sidereal zodiac ⁶. Because the calendar year is about 365.24 days long, the moment drifts by roughly six hours a year and the leap day pulls it back, so the festival sits on 14 January in most years and on 15 January in others ⁶. The last and next transits show the pattern:

• 2026 edition: Sun entered Makara on 14 January 2026 at 15:05 IST ⁶

• 2027 edition: 14 January 2027 at 21:09 IST ⁶

• 2028 edition: 15 January 2028 at 03:22 IST ⁶

In 2027 the transit falls after dark on 14 January, so some temple calendars may place the ritual bath on the morning of 15 January ⁶. That does not move the kite flying: in Ahmedabad, Uttarayan is always 14 January and Vasi Uttarayan always 15 January ⁷.

The International Kite Festival on the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad is listed by the Ministry of Tourism's Incredible India site for 10 to 14 January 2027 ². Gujarat Tourism had not published its 2027 programme on 18 October 2026, so treat the opening date as expected ³.

Elsewhere the same day carries other names: Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Magh Bihu in Assam, Poush Sankranti in West Bengal and Maghi in Punjab, with Lohri the night before in the north ⁶.

Tip: For Makar Sankranti 2027 in Ahmedabad, arrive by Wednesday 13 January 2027 so you can shop the Patang Bazaar the night before Uttarayan ^{1 3}.

Gujarat Tourism lists no entry fee for the International Kite Festival on the Sabarmati Riverfront, and rooftop Uttarayan itself needs no ticket at all ³. What visitors pay for is a place to fly: a terrace in the old city, kites and manja from the bazaar, and the food that keeps a rooftop going all day.

The riverfront festival is the showpiece. Gujarat Tourism lists a theme pavilion on tourist destinations and kites, flying by enthusiasts from around the world, a handicraft market and refreshment stalls ³. In 2026 it was opened on 12 January 2026 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, with 135 international flyers from 50 countries, 65 flyers from 13 Indian states and 871 from 16 districts of Gujarat ⁵. The same edition had 25 handicraft stalls and 15 food stalls ⁵.

The rooftops are where money changes hands. Residents of the pols rent their terraces to visitors, and in January 2026 prices ranged from 20,000 to 80,000 INR depending on size and location ⁸. Some pols package the terrace with kites, manja and snacks ⁸:

• Bado Pole, near Astodia Chakla: connected rooftops you can cross, rented with kites, manja and snacks ⁸

• Mandvi Ni Pol, near Manek Chowk: rentable terraces, close to the Patang Bazaar ⁸

• Sankdi Sheri, near Panachand Halvawala: heritage havelis whose terraces are rented for Uttarayan ⁸

• Dhal Ni Pol, Khadia: wooden houses and packed rooftops, best by invitation ⁸

For Makar Sankranti 2027 in Ahmedabad, a pol terrace for Thursday 14 January 2027 is the closest thing to a ticket, and the price is set by each household, not by an organiser ^{1 8}.

Tip: Confirm in writing whether a terrace deal includes kites and manja, how many people it covers, and whether you can stay for the evening tukkal.

Fly into Ahmedabad, then take an app cab or auto-rickshaw to the riverfront or the old city, because the metro does not yet reach the airport ¹⁶. An Airport Line branching from the Yellow Line at Koteshwar Road has been approved but is not running ¹⁶. Ahmedabad is a designated airport for e-Visa holders, and the e-Tourist Visa must be applied for at least 4 days before arrival and no more than 120 days ahead ¹⁷.

The Sabarmati Riverfront is a long, two-level embankment rather than one ground. Phase 1 covers about 11.25 km of the river, with promenades on both banks, and its event ground of 5.07 hectares can hold over 50,000 people ¹³. A useful pin for the west bank is Sanskar Kendra in Paldi, at the west end of Sardar Bridge, at 23.0131 N, 72.5694 E ¹⁴. The old city with its pols and the Patang Bazaar near Raipur Darwaja lies on the east bank ^{7 8}.

Ahmedabad Metro links the two banks. The Blue Line runs east to west between Vastral Gam and Thaltej Gam, with 18 stations, and meets the north-south Red Line at Old High Court ¹⁶. From 18 May 2026 services ran until 11 PM ¹⁵. Useful moves:

• Airport to the riverfront: app cab or prepaid taxi; agree the drop point on the promenade

• Riverfront to the pols: cross the river by metro or cab, then walk into the lanes

• Pols at night: walk out to a main road before booking, as cars cannot enter most lanes

• Late return after the tukkal: metro until 11 PM in 2026, cab after that ¹⁵

For Makar Sankranti 2027, expect the city to be quiet on the roads on Thursday 14 January 2027 because almost all normal activity in Gujarat stops for kite flying ^{1 3}. That makes daytime cabs easier, but evening demand spikes when terraces empty.

Tip: Save your terrace host's location pin and the address in Gujarati script before you leave the hotel; drivers know pols by gate names, not by map labels.

The programme runs in four stages: the bazaar week, the riverfront festival, Uttarayan day on 14 January and Vasi Uttarayan on 15 January ^{3 7}. Kite-making starts on Ahmedabad's streets in November, and in the week before the festival the Patang Bazaar in the old city stays open 24 hours a day ³. Kite markets also spread through Jamalpur and Kalupur ⁹.

The kit has three parts: the patang, the firki spool and the manja string ⁹. Kite bodies use springy bamboo frames with paper stretched to exact tension, and manja is coated with glue and glass to cut rival strings ³. Buy plain cotton thread, since synthetic Chinese manja is banned in Gujarat (see the safety section).

The International Kite Festival on the Sabarmati Riverfront shows another side. International teams bring their own traditions: wau-balang kites from Malaysia, rokkaku fighting kites from Japan, giant banners from the USA and flying dragons from China ⁴. In 2026 Gujarat Tourism ran Uttarayan events from 10 January 2026 in Rajkot, Surat and Dholavira, with Ahmedabad hosting from 12 January 2026 ³.

Uttarayan day itself runs from dawn to night:

• About 5 am: families climb to the terraces for the pre-dawn wind ^{3 7}

• Morning to afternoon: kite fights between neighbouring roofs, with shouts of "kai po che" and "lapet" ⁸

• Lunch: undhiyu, the winter vegetable dish, with chikki and jalebi ⁷

• After dark: white kites for visibility and tukkals trailing lanterns ³

• Night: some pols, such as Ambli Ni Pol, dance garba on the terraces ⁸

Vasi Uttarayan on 15 January is the second, slightly lazier day of the same thing, and the tukkals go up again on the second night ⁷. For Makar Sankranti 2027 in Ahmedabad, that means Thursday 14 and Friday 15 January 2027 on the roofs ^{1 7}.

Tip: The Police Stadium and the riverfront are where people lie on the ground to watch the sky, a good break if you have no terrace ⁷.

Cool at dawn and warm by noon: Ahmedabad's January normals are a 27.9 °C average high and a 12.4 °C average low, with 1.2 mm of rain and 0.2 rainy days (1991 to 2020) ¹². The record low for January is 3.3 °C, and relative humidity at 17:30 averages 35% ¹². Gujarat Tourism describes the day as usually bright, warm and sunny with brisk breezes ³.

That spread shapes the day. You go up at about 5 am in the coldest hour, then spend six hours in direct sun on a concrete roof with no shade ^{3 12}. Wind matters more than temperature: a still morning keeps kites grounded, while a steady breeze can carry them all day.

Crowds follow a fixed curve. The Patang Bazaar is busiest in the last nights before 14 January, when it stays open around the clock ³. Uttarayan day is the peak on the roofs, while the roads are emptier than usual because almost everything closes ³. Vasi Uttarayan is calmer, and the riverfront festival is easier on its first days.

For Makar Sankranti 2027 in Ahmedabad, plan around Thursday 14 January 2027 as the main day, arrive by Wednesday 13 January 2027 and keep Friday 15 January 2027 for Vasi Uttarayan ^{1 7}.

What to pack for a full rooftop day:

• A warm layer for the 5 am start and a sun hat for noon

• Sunglasses, since you will stare into the sky for hours

• Finger guards or tape for holding manja; glass-coated string cuts skin

• Sunscreen and a refillable water bottle

• A power bank, as phones drain fast in the sun

• Small notes in cash for kites, snacks and auto-rickshaws

Tip: Wear long sleeves in a light fabric; they protect from both the sun and a falling string.

Sleep inside the old city if Uttarayan is the reason for your trip, and by the riverfront if you want an easy base for the International Kite Festival and the rest of Ahmedabad. The old city was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage City in 2017, and its pols are the setting for the rooftop fights ¹².

A pol is a cluster of houses, usually of one large family or related families, entered through a massive gate, with a shrine, a chabutra bird-feeder and a community well ⁹. Houses are two to three storeys tall, about 5 to 6 m wide and 12 to 18 m deep, built around a courtyard with a small terrace ⁹. Khadia ward alone holds 768 heritage structures ⁹. Heritage homestays here give you a terrace of your own on 14 January.

The main options compare like this:

• Khadia and Raipur pols: walk to the Patang Bazaar and wake up above the kite fights ^{8 9}

• Manek Chowk area: near Mandvi Ni Pol, with late-night food stalls ⁸

• West bank, Ellis Bridge to Paldi: wider roads, cabs and quick riverfront access ^{13 14}

• Near Old High Court: the Blue and Red Line metro interchange ¹⁶

Rooms with terraces in the pols are few and are the first to go. For Makar Sankranti 2027, book a stay for Wednesday 13 to Friday 15 January 2027 well in advance and ask whether the roof is included ¹.

Food is part of the stay. Gujarat Tourism names laddoos, undhiyu and surati jamun as the dishes families prepare for the rooftop ³. Til-gud, sesame and jaggery, is eaten across India for the festival ⁶. In the pols, snacks are shared between neighbouring roofs, and Ambli Ni Pol is known for undhiyu, jalebi and fafda ⁸.

Tip: Ask your homestay host to order undhiyu from a local caterer for 14 January; most families do the same.

Mobile data slows on Uttarayan because millions of people share the same cells at the same hours, not because the city lacks coverage. Uttarayan in Gujarat draws about 8 to 10 million participants, and the Sabarmati riverbank alone can hold over 500,000 ⁷.

The peaks are predictable: the pre-dawn start, the lunch break on the roofs and the evening tukkal, when everyone films the lanterns at once. Messages and maps barely register, but video calls from the terrace and uploads of the kite fight stall first. The riverfront event ground, built for over 50,000 people, is where the network is busiest during the International Kite Festival ¹³.

The phone does specific jobs here:

• Live location for friends on connected roofs, as at Bado Pole ⁸

• The Karuna Abhiyan bird helpline 1926 and WhatsApp 83200 02000 ¹⁰

• Metro and cab apps after dark, with the metro ending at 11 PM in 2026 ¹⁵

• Translation for Gujarati signs and pol gate names

For Makar Sankranti 2027 in Ahmedabad, do the slow jobs on Wednesday 13 January 2027: download offline maps of the old city, save your host's pin and screenshot the riverfront festival programme ¹.

For visitors from abroad, an India eSIM installed at home over Wi-Fi connects when you land in Ahmedabad, so maps and cab apps work from the airport kerb. The India eSIM page lists the options; keep your home SIM active for bank codes.

Tip: Post your videos from the hotel on Vasi Uttarayan morning, when the network has recovered and the light on the roofs is softer.

Synthetic Chinese manja and Chinese tukkal sky lanterns are banned in Gujarat, while glass-coated thread is restricted and plain cotton thread is allowed ¹¹. In September 2026 the Gujarat High Court told the state to issue prohibitory notifications before 11 October 2026, ahead of the Uttarayan season ¹¹. The bench cited reports of more than 10,000 birds injured every year by hazardous kite strings ¹¹.

The bird numbers are real. During Karuna Abhiyan, from 10 to 20 January 2026, 16,380 birds injured by kite strings were treated across Gujarat and 14,690 survived ¹⁰. Ahmedabad had the most cases, 7,040 treated and 6,532 rescued, and pigeons made up 13,636 of the birds ¹⁰. The campaign ran about 450 collection centres and more than 480 treatment centres ¹⁰.

Rooftop safety rules every first-timer should follow:

• Buy cotton manja only: refuse anything plastic or synthetic, even if sellers call it stronger ¹¹

• Never fly from a terrace edge without a parapet: you watch the sky, not your feet

• Ride slowly on two-wheelers: loose strings hang across roads and flyovers

• Report injured birds: call 1926 or send a WhatsApp to 83200 02000 ¹⁰

• Keep children back from the edge: kite chases make them forget where the roof ends

For Makar Sankranti 2027 in Ahmedabad, expect Karuna Abhiyan collection points across the city again around Thursday 14 January 2027, as in every season since 2017 ^{1 10}.

Families with young children or older relatives should pick a terrace with a full parapet and some shade, and plan to come down for lunch. The Patang Bazaar at night is crowded and narrow; carry small children rather than holding hands.

Tip: Cut loose string off railings and trees on your own roof at the end of the day; it is what traps birds the next morning.

Outside Gujarat, Makar Sankranti is a bathing festival in West Bengal, a four-day harvest festival in Tamil Nadu and a bonfire festival in Punjab, each worth its own trip ⁶. Pick one region per visit; they fall on the same days and are far apart.

Gangasagar Mela is the great pilgrimage. Lakhs of pilgrims arrive before dawn on Sagar Island, about 130 km from Kolkata, to bathe where the Ganges meets the Bay of Bengal and then pray at the Kapil Muni temple ¹⁹. The journey mixes trains, buses, ferries and long walks, and some pilgrims take days to arrive ¹⁹.

Pongal in Tamil Nadu spreads over four days ²⁰:

• Bhogi: old belongings go into a bonfire and homes are cleaned ²⁰

• Thai Pongal: rice boiled with milk and jaggery in an earthen pot until it overflows, to shouts of "Pongalo Pongal" ²⁰

• Mattu Pongal: cattle are bathed, painted and garlanded; some communities hold Jallikattu bull-taming ²⁰

• Kaanum Pongal: families visit and younger people seek elders' blessings ²⁰

In the Government of India's 2027 holiday list, Makar Sankranti and Magh Bihu share Thursday 14 January 2027 and Pongal falls on Friday 15 January 2027 ¹. In Assam the day is Magh Bihu, and in Punjab Lohri bonfires burn the night before ⁶.

Gujarat itself has more to combine with a Makar Sankranti 2027 trip to Ahmedabad. The Ahmedabad International Flower Show on the Sabarmati Riverfront opened on 1 January 2026 with a 30-metre floral globe, and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation stages it every year ¹⁸. Gujarat Tourism lists the Modhera Dance Festival at Modhera on 19 January ³. Le Corbusier's Sanskar Kendra in Paldi, which houses a kite museum, has been closed for renovation since March 2020 ¹⁴.

Tip: If you want both kites and a dip, fly on Uttarayan in Ahmedabad, then go north to Jaipur, Udaipur or Jodhpur, where kites also fly, instead of east ⁷. Gangasagar and Ahmedabad are too far apart for one week.