July 28, 2025

Maghe Sankranti is one of Nepal’s oldest and most widely celebrated festivals, marking the end of the winter solstice and the beginning of longer days. Celebrated across the Kathmandu Valley and throughout Nepal on the first day of the month of Magh (mid-January), it honors the sun’s journey into the northern hemisphere, a time of hope, renewal, and warmth.

The festival’s significance lies in its agricultural and spiritual symbolism. Farmers regard it as a turning point signaling the approach of spring and the upcoming planting season. Special foods like ghee, sesame seeds, molasses, and yam are eaten for health and prosperity. Many people take ritual baths in sacred rivers or ponds, believing that these purify the body and mind for the year ahead.

In the Kathmandu Valley, Patan’s Kumbheshwar Temple becomes a focal point, where devotees gather for pujas and holy dips. People also visit their family shrines to offer prayers and sweets. The day is often marked by visiting elders, exchanging blessings, and community gatherings.

Maghe Sankranti blends practical seasonal wisdom with deep religious meaning. It celebrates nature’s rhythms, the resilience of the human spirit through winter, and the bright promise of longer, sunnier days. For visitors, it’s a time to witness traditional rituals, taste seasonal foods, and experience Nepal’s rich cultural tapestry in full swing.

Time of Year: Mid-January (first day of Magh)

Location: Kathmandu Valley and nationwide

Duration: 1 day

What to Expect: Ritual baths, offerings at temples, seasonal foods, family visits, community celebrations

Interesting Facts:

  • Marks the sun’s northward journey (Uttarayana) in Hindu cosmology
  • Foods eaten symbolize health, longevity, and prosperity
  • Also called Makar Sankranti in other parts of South Asia