Flying High with Values: What Makar Sankranti Teaches

India is a land where festivals are not only occasions for joy and celebration but also powerful mediums of learning. Each festival reflects the country’s deep connection with nature, seasons, and human values. Among these, the festival of Makar Sankranti holds a special place because it beautifully combines science, spirituality, culture, and moral education.

For students especially, Makar Sankranti is not just about flying kites or enjoying sweets—it is a festival that teaches important life lessons such as discipline, positivity, hard work, and respect for nature. As Makar Sankranti 2026 approaches, it is the perfect time to reflect on why this ancient festival continues to be so relevant for young minds today.

celebration of makar sankranti

What Is the Makar Sankranti Festival?

Many students often ask, what is Makar Sankranti festival, and why is it celebrated across India with such enthusiasm?

Makar Sankranti marks the day when the Sun enters the zodiac sign Makara (Capricorn) and begins its northward journey, known as Uttarayan. Unlike most Indian festivals that follow the lunar calendar, Makar Sankranti is based on the solar calendar, making it one of the most scientifically significant festivals in India.

In Makar Sankranti 2026, the festival will be celebrated on 14 January, as it is every year. This transition of the Sun is believed to bring longer days, warmth, prosperity, and positive energy. Symbolically, it represents a movement from darkness to light, ignorance to knowledge, and despair to hope—an idea that strongly resonates with students and learners.

About Sankranti Festival: A Celebration of Nature and Knowledge

To truly understand the Sankranti festival, one must look at its close connection with nature and agriculture. Makar Sankranti is primarily a harvest festival, celebrated to express gratitude to the Sun, soil, water, and farmers for sustaining life.

Across India, the festival is known by different names:

  • Pongal in Tamil Nadu
  • Lohri in Punjab
  • Uttarayan in Gujarat
  • Magh Bihu in Assam

Despite regional variations, the core message remains the same—new beginnings, gratitude, and growth.

For students, this highlights the importance of respecting nature and understanding that human progress is deeply linked to environmental balance. The festival quietly teaches that learning and development should always go hand in hand with responsibility.

Celebration of Makar Sankranti Across India

The celebration of Makar Sankranti is vibrant, colorful, and full of cultural significance.

  • Kite flying fills the skies, symbolizing freedom, ambition, and joy.
  • Til (sesame) and jaggery sweets are exchanged to promote sweetness in relationships and speech.
  • Traditional dishes are prepared using newly harvested grains.
  • Bonfires, prayers, and community gatherings strengthen social bonds.

Each ritual has a deeper meaning. For students, participating in these traditions becomes an experiential way of learning values such as sharing, cooperation, and cultural pride.

Lesson 1: Embracing Change – A Message from the Sun

One of the most powerful lessons of the festival Makar Sankranti is the importance of accepting change. The Sun’s shift into Capricorn signifies transition and progress.Students constantly face changes—new academic years, subjects, teachers, expectations, and challenges. Makar Sankranti teaches that change is necessary for growth. Just as the Sun moves forward without hesitation, students too must learn to face new situations with confidence and optimism.

Lesson 2: Hard Work and Patience Lead to Success

As a harvest festival, Makar Sankranti celebrates the results of months of dedication by farmers. Crops grow slowly, requiring patience, care, and discipline.This is a valuable lesson for students living in a world of instant gratification. Academic success, skill development, and personal growth cannot be rushed. The festival reminds students that consistent effort and patience always bear fruit, just like a good harvest.

Lesson 3: Sankranti Special Message of Sweetness and Positivity

One of the most meaningful Sankranti special traditions is the exchange of tilgul sweets with the message:
“Tilgul ghya, god god bola” — “Accept this sweet and speak sweet words.”

Sesame seeds represent life’s challenges, while jaggery symbolizes sweetness and hope. Together, they teach students to remain positive even during difficult times.In school life, competition, stress, and peer pressure are common. Makar Sankranti encourages students to practice kind speech, emotional balance, and empathy, helping them build healthy relationships.

Lesson 4: Unity in Diversity

The way Makar Sankranti festival is celebrated across different regions of India reflects the country’s rich diversity. Yet, the essence of the festival remains the same everywhere.For students, this is a powerful lesson in unity in diversity. Classrooms today are multicultural spaces. Learning to respect different traditions, opinions, and lifestyles prepares students to become inclusive and tolerant global citizens.

Lesson 5: Kite Flying and the Art of Setting Goals

Kite flying is one of the most exciting parts of the celebration of Makar Sankranti, but it also carries symbolic meaning. A kite rises high only when it is balanced and guided by a strong thread.For students, the kite represents dreams and ambitions, while the thread symbolizes discipline, values, and guidance from teachers and parents. Makar Sankranti teaches students to dream big but stay grounded, reminding them that success requires both freedom and responsibility.

Lesson 6: Respect for Nature and Sustainability

The Sankranti festival story is incomplete without acknowledging its strong environmental message. By honoring the Sun and harvest, the festival teaches gratitude towards nature.

In today’s world of climate change and environmental challenges, students must understand the importance of sustainability. Makar Sankranti encourages eco-friendly habits such as conserving resources, reducing waste, and living in harmony with nature.

Lesson 7: Discipline, Health, and Balanced Living

Traditional Makar Sankranti practices emphasize early rising, cleanliness, prayer, and nutritious food. These customs highlight the importance of discipline and healthy living.

For students, maintaining a balanced routine is essential for academic success and mental well-being. The festival subtly reminds them that a healthy lifestyle supports better learning and focus.

Lesson 8: Sharing, Charity, and Social Responsibility

Sharing food and joy is an integral part of the festival Makar Sankranti. Helping the needy and celebrating together strengthens community bonds.

This teaches students that education is not just about personal achievement. True success lies in contributing positively to society, showing compassion, and helping others grow.

Why Makar Sankranti 2026 Is Especially Relevant for Students

As Makar Sankranti 2026 arrives in a fast-changing, technology-driven world, its lessons are more important than ever. Students today face academic pressure, digital distractions, and emotional stress.

Makar Sankranti reminds them to slow down, reflect, and realign with values such as perseverance, kindness, gratitude, and self-discipline. It bridges the gap between traditional wisdom and modern education, making learning meaningful beyond textbooks.

Conclusion: A Festival That Teaches for Life

Makar Sankranti is far more than a seasonal celebration. It is a festival of transformation, guiding students to move from ignorance to knowledge, fear to confidence, and selfishness to compassion.

By understanding the Makar Sankranti festival, participating in its rituals, and reflecting on its deeper meanings, students gain life lessons that shape their character and mindset. As the Sun begins its northward journey, Makar Sankranti inspires young learners to begin their own journey towards growth, wisdom, and responsible living.In this way, Makar Sankranti truly proves that it is more than a festival—it is a life lesson for students.

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Written By – Ichini Sharmista Shyam,

Academic Coordinator – Chrysalis High Varthur

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Makar Sankranti always on January 14th? Why is it different from other Indian festivals?

Most Indian festivals follow the Lunar calendar (the phases of the moon), which causes their dates to shift every year. However, Makar Sankranti follows the Solar calendar. It marks the precise moment the Sun enters the zodiac sign of Capricorn (Makara). Because the solar cycle is consistent, the festival almost always falls on January 14th (and occasionally the 15th), serving as a bridge between ancient astronomy and modern calendars.

2. What is the “Secret Science” behind flying kites on Makar Sankranti?

Beyond the fun and competition, kite flying has a traditional health benefit! After a long winter, people spend hours in the morning sun while flying kites. This allows the body to soak up Vitamin D and helps clear skin infections or “winter chills” caused by the cold. For students, it’s the perfect way to combine physical activity with natural sun therapy.

3. What is Makar Sankranti festival really about, beyond celebrations?

While the festival of Makar Sankranti is known for kite flying and sweets, it is actually about new beginnings, learning from nature, personal growth, and moving from ignorance to knowledge – making it a meaningful festival for young minds.

4. How does Chrysalis High integrate the values of Makar Sankranti into student learning?

At Chrysalis High, the lessons of the Makar Sankranti festival – such as responsibility, respect for nature, emotional intelligence, and perseverance – are reflected in everyday learning through value-based education, celebrations, classroom discussions, and community activities that shape well-rounded individuals.

5. How does the celebration of Makar Sankranti inspire goal-setting?

Kite flying during the celebration of Makar Sankranti symbolizes ambition and dreams. It teaches students that success comes from balance – dreaming big while staying grounded with discipline and guidance.

Chrysalis School is a hidden gem that is absolutely amazing. The experience started when we were driving through in search of school for our kids and saw this attractive newly built school.

Our interaction with school alumni assured us that our child will be in the best hands with the teachers and staff. The faculty and staff truly care about the students and are available around the clock to help with student needs.

Cheers!
Yaduveer Singh & Tanu Chaudhary

Chrysalis High, is a great school which develops a good foundation for kids both academically and also in character building. Both the pre primary and now the primary school years for Samay, have been socially nurturing and academically challenging. Our son loves his school, he has come a long way from his nursery days till today, the 3rd grade.

Everyone at school, be it the Principal, Coordinators, teachers or the administrative staff, all have been really cooperative and supportive. Chrysalis also has one of the best parent – teacher relationship!

Overall, Chrysalis High, has been a wonderful experience for both Samay and us till date. We appreciate the great work and looking forward for more!

Regard,
Kavita

I have been a student at Chrysalis High Marq for two school years and from what I have experienced, I can tell you it is a great school. The staff is excellent and the rules help keep the school safe and in order.

There is an equal balance of learning and reviewing the information. There are enrichment activity classes as well to where we have life skill and ink well sessions that help in the refinement and polishing of the mind. Chrysalis has initiated many activities for students. We have engrossing and fun-filled Indoor Champs, Performing Arts classes, Buddy interaction time etc. The teachers in Chrysalis are hardworking and determined . I am so proud and lucky to go to Chrysalis!

Sean Lennon
Grade VIII

In the field of Construction, they say- “ A well-designed and strong foundation keeps the building standing while the forces of nature wreak havoc.” The same purpose that a foundation serves for a building, schooling does for our children- ensures they are wholly prepared for the journey called Life!

Having worked for a few schools in the past, I was aware of the paramount role a school plays in the initial nurturing of a child. While joining Chrysalis, I expected a similar school environment as in my past, but to my astonishment, things were incredibly better. While the academics here are indeed exceptional, even better is the focus on the character development of each child. Teachers know their Children really well, beyond just recalling the child’s name; all thanks to initiatives like PUPA. The teachers nurture children in a way that is not just caring and loving but also instills in them qualities like compassion, collaboration, empathy and many more from an early age. Children are also encouraged in a way that they constantly thrive to develop confidence in their own unique abilities.

Well, what we reap is what we sow; and not just the teachers but the whole team in Chrysalis believes in this fact. We work together tirelessly because we know we are nurturing kids to form a responsible and noble generation for the future!

Anjali E
Faculty, Chrysalis High Marq

Chrysalis High Marq has paved new roads of possibilities of learning and fruitful experiences for both teachers such as myself and the students.

The things that are most satisfying for me are the never ending opportunities to learn, perform out of the comfort zone and most importantly the endless love that I receive from the children. Life is a continuous learning process and Chrysalis High Marq has made it possible by giving me many opportunities to be creative in the way I work. The whole team works as a family by supporting and helping each other at any given point of time .

The motivation, appreciation, support and positivity received by us is in turn passed on to our students. The school believes in the holistic development of all its children and takes all the necessary measures to nurture the young minds in a fruitful way. I am extremely proud to be a part of the Chrysalis High Marq family.

Shivani
Educator, Chrysalis High Marq

I enjoy working at Chrysalis High because this is a place where high energy meets absolute dedication.As a teacher, each day is a new day for me and I fully value the myriad opportunities that enhance my experience.

I also appreciate the unique working atmosphere and  the collaborative culture  that allows me to grow not only as a professional, but also as a person.

The school provides me with a lot of scope to interact with children and their parents, and this gives me an opportunity  to gain deeper insights into ways to help each of them achieve their academic goals.

The school’s vision for children is a guiding principle for all of us. It is indeed a pleasure to work with my immediate superiors who are both-understanding and supportive in all aspects. Together, I am certain that we will have a mutually enriching and exciting academic year ahead.

Anuradha Shankar Venkataraman,
Employee, Chrysalis High Marq

My Voyage at Chrysalis High Marq has been spectacular and overwhelming. The school has positive vibes that makes it a beautiful shelter for not only students but also for the teachers. Here at Chrysalis we are motivated to nurture the young minds in the best possible way.

I learnt number of years of work experience is not that counts, what is more important is the quality one possesses through their learning experience. I thoroughly enjoy teaching and unfaltering curiosity.

Chrysalis High is an impressive organization that makes educators feel supported and equipped. I ’am proud to be a part of this institution that strive to take eloquent steps to transform our care philosophy and values into effective action.

I feel privileged to be an integral part of such a proficient and progressive workforce. Chrysalis oozes integrity and excellence that is t=refreshing and essential in our daily duties.

Chrysalis exemplifies what it means to be an organization that is “To help our children excel by understanding them, guiding them on the right path and strengthening their self belief.”

I have been in Chrysalis High BG Road since 2018. The teachers have laid a strong foundation, helped me improve on my basics in all subjects and played a major role in me evolving into the best version of myself. My school has given me many opportunities to develop my leadership skills and I will always feel grateful about that. I have made many friends in the last couple of years, thanks to the warm atmosphere at Chrysalis High. During online classes our school left no stone unturned and even though our classes were online, they ensured we learnt with the same enthusiasm.

I am very happy studying at Chrysalis High Bannerghatta Road. I got admission during the lockdown period. The online classes were well organized and very interactive.

I gained a lot of knowledge during online classes, and the teachers understood us quickly and were there for us at all times. Even though we didn’t meet personally, the atmosphere at Chrysalis was always very warm and supportive. Even though online classes were new to everyone, our teachers were able to identify where we were lagging, and they provided Individual Support Classes (ISP).

The teachers are very interactive, friendly with us, and support us to come up with our own ideas. Practical explanation of the subject through STEaM is also one of the most exciting sessions in our school. The teachers also covered extracurricular activities and enrichment activities during the online classes. The warm welcome by the teachers to the offline classes made us more excited to attend school and a day at Chrysalis High with my friends and teachers is something that I eagerly look forward to every day.

I started my journey at Chrysalis High in the third grade, and have been studying in the same till now and from all these years, I can say that Chrysalis High has the best staff and curriculum.

PUPA (Prior Understanding of Pupil Attributes) is a unique method used in Chrysalis High to understand a student’s learning ability, skills and emotions. They gain this knowledge from the parents and us in an effort to understand us better. The extracurricular activities, inter-school competitions, sports and cultural days organised help incorporate fun and games along with academics.

The student council and the elections for its positions familiarise a student with a sense of responsibility and teamwork. Studying at Chrysalis High has helped me grow to my full potential and has indeed trained me for the exam called life.

I would like to thank all the teachers and staff at Chrysalis High for making my learning experience the best.

Chrysalis High team integrates compassion into their teaching standards, emphasizes the importance of values and builds leaders through each of their classes and lessons. It allows for a lower student to teacher ratio. Online teaching during difficult times of Covid – 19 was indeed a huge challenge for all schools but the support provided by the school to transcend the challenge of teaching students by providing apt and timely training to teachers in online teaching methodology is commendable. This has been very useful to students as well as their parents. The teachers had worked hard in coming up with innovative methods of teaching to keep the students up breast with subjects with their enthusiasm intact.  It’s been a wonderful journey for me at Chrysalis High so far.  The entire team works in unison with one thought in mind – the betterment of the children.

My sincere thanks to Principal ma’am, Coordinators and last but not least my colleagues for the constant support and love.

Upasana Banerjee –
Primary Teacher

Working at Chrysalis High has been a wholesome experience for me. What stands out for me is the support I receive from the school management in standing by my vision and passion as a teacher.

It would not be an exaggeration in the slightest, if I said that I feel always supported by the principal, coordinator and staff in performing my duties to the best of my abilities. This makes me confident that I would be given room to grow as an educator. It feels great to be part of a group that takes meaningful steps towards turning our philosophy and values into action!”

The values we would love to instill in our students at Chrysalis High are strongly rooted in our hearts by our compassionate and efficient school heads and mentors and model them to our students.

The induction programme has been nothing short of immense learning and much-needed guidance to face all our challenges head-on and it has helped prepare ourselves for the year ahead.

At Chrysalis High, I find myself doing what I love to do, staying true to what I strongly believe in and above all I can see myself as a passionate learner with new opportunities to learn each and every day. To top it all, the love and support my students shower on me is an additional perk without which I cannot be the happy teacher that I am today.

Suhasini. S
Secondary Teacher

Student Safety and School Security

safety-and-security

Safety Always a step ahead!

Chrysalis is inarguably the only school where at no point of time, any child is left without supervision of a female teacher!

CCTV Cameras- Entire premises

  • All classrooms
  • Corridors
  • Outdoor areas

Precautionary measures

  • Presence of a female teacher for all CHAMPS activities
  • Presence of a female teacher in all the classes handled by male teachers

Nutrition

The School serves balanced and nutritious vegetarian snacks and lunch to students who have opted for the facility.

To supervise students during lunchtime, a teacher is appointed for monitoring each table. Children are trained to keep themselves clean and display correct dining manners.

Reverse Osmosis systems for purifying drinking water are available across the campus throughout the day.

Transport

We provide a fleet of well-maintained buses with trained drivers and lady attendants. Special care is taken while appointing the drivers, to ensure that only the experienced and qualified drivers are appointed after undergoing a driving test. The buses are equipped with safety equipment and a first-aid kit in case of an emergency.

Being GPS enabled, the school can locate the position of a bus at any time during commute and in case of a breakdown, can send a replacement bus instantly. To avoid rash driving and speeding, speed governors are installed in all the buses.

Salient Features

  • Well-networked fleet of buses connecting the school to various parts of the city.
  • Trained drivers in each bus.
  • Trained lady attendants to take care of your child in each bus.
  • Mandatory First-Aid kits in all buses.
  • Regular checking by school administration staff to ensure safety of your child.
  • All buses are GPS enabled and for better monitoring, we have in-bus CCTV system complete with camera and recorder.
Indrani-Singh

Ms. Indrani Singh

Chief Vision Officer, Principal, Chrysalis High Marq & Head - Chrysalis Kids

Ms. Indrani Singh possesses a MSc and B.Ed degree to her credit. She has over 10 years of experience in the field of education and has climbed the rungs of leadership with her sheer dedication, hard work and love for her profession. She joined as the Head of Chrysalis Kids in 2013, which is a pre primary school of Chrysalis. Her out of box thinking and her ideology of doing the right thing for the children have helped her to pioneer new processes to make learning an enriching experience for the children. Across a period of seven years, Ms. Indrani Singh has become a flag bearer of Chrysalis vision, especially the PUPA (Prior Understanding of Pupil Attributes) Program. Indrani brought in the idea of Pre-CHAMPS to all Chrysalis schools. Known for her ideation & focus on quality, Indrani leaves no stone unturned to ensure children have a wonderful learning experience at Chrysalis. In 2017, she was made Associate Academic Director – Pre Primary & again promoted to Academic Director – Pre Primary, a role she handles along with the responsibilities of Chrysalis High, Marq. Under her supervision and guidance, many initiatives like Pre-CHAMPS, AwSTEM, Festival of learning were initiated and appreciated by all. Today she handles multitude of responsibilities from heading two schools to overseeing the Pre-Primary Curriculum Team of Chrysalis as the Academic Director. In addition to these profiles, she was recently promoted as Chief Vision Officer to propel PUPA, an initiative of Chrysalis, to greater heights. To this day, her ideas and her sheer determination to always try something different and new makes her a formidable and integral part of Chrysalis. With an unending pandemic looming over us, the future for education looked uncertain. But Ms. Indrani with her belief that learning should not stop for the children, ideated on the perfect balance of online and live class model to suit the learning styles of the children. The plan started with what best would suit the children and also help the working parents who were facing their own challenges and obstacles. The online model started with curriculum videos which the Chrysalis teachers recorded with the right guidance and methodology which was well defined by her. The live classes began with once a week class to slowly introduce the children to digital learning. With children adapting to live class, the sessions increased to add more to their knowledge. Teachers were sensitized about the challenges of live class and how to ensure that they do the right thing for the children and be an integral part in their learning given the circumstances. Providing the right support to parents and the challenges they faced, were also key elements of the whole digital teaching process. Providing individual support to the children was one way to ensure we partnered with parents to provide the right support to the children and ensure that the learning did not stop.