Sankranthi, or Makar Sankranti, is a harvest festival in Karnataka as is the case in other parts of India . In 2025, the date of Sankranti (Ellu Bella) in Karnataka is January 14. Bhogi (January 13, 2025) is the first day of the festival. Yellu or Ella means til (Sesame seeds) and ‘Bella’ is Jaggery. A mixture of Til (sesame seeds), Sharkara (jaggery), dry coconut and groundnuts is given to friends, neighbors and relatives on the day. There is a popular saying of Ellu Bella in Kannada – ellu bella tindu, ollolle matadi! (Eat Til seeds, Jaggery and speak good words). Importance of Makar Sankranti in Karnataka Sankranti is celebrated when sun transcends from Sagittarius to Capricorn during the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. Sankranthi means ‘change of direction’ and is based on solar event and it also marks the arrival of Spring Season. In Kannada culture, Sankranthi is synonymous with ellu (sesame-jaggery mix), sugar candies and sugarcane. Uttarayana , the da