I want to say something more. This day is so sacred that your spiritual journey during Uttarayan moves toward the divine. Uttarayan (northward sun) is connected to gods; Dakshinayan (southward sun) is connected to ancestors. In the Mahabharata, Bhishma Pitamah lay on a bed of arrows waiting for Makar Sankranti and only on this sacred day did he release his life force because Uttarayan is the path of divine liberation.

This ritual focus is traditionally kept within about 24 hours. However, in classical thought, a Sankranti begins a solar phase, whose influence unfolds over the following days. That is why charity, seasonal changes, and spiritual practices continue for 2-3 days around it. The real purpose is not a one-day act, but a gradual re-alignment with the new solar direction over the coming week

Really interesting…. Does this last for 24 hours or can we do those things you mentioned over a few days or weeks?!