Meena Sankranti / Sankrama

Meena Sankranti is one of the twelve Sankranti days which occur in a year. Sankranti occurs when the Bhagwan Surya does transition from one house to the other in the zodiac signs. Simply, Sankranti signifies the beginning of the new month in the Hindu calendar.

Meena Sankranti is the last transition of the Bhagwan Surya in the year. This denotes the transition from Pisces (meena) to Aries (mesha). It also connotes the last month of the year.

Meena Sankranti occurs on Thursday, 14th March 2024. The exact time of the Sun’s transition has to be ascertained from the respective regional calendar.

As per Bhavishya Puran, Bhagwan Surya’s Chariot was designed by Sri Brahma Himself. It is driven by Aruna, the Sarathy of Sri Surya. The Chariot is pulled by seven horses which depict the seven days of the week.

Apart from Sri Surya, two Adityas, two Rishis, two Gandharvas, two Apsaras, two Nagas and two Rakshas (demons) also travel in the chariot. For every pair of two months, the travelers change. Here, Adityas mean the attributes of Bhagwan Surya.

For the two months pair of Maasi and Panguni (Magha and Phalguna), the following travel with Sri Surya.

Adityas – Duvashta and Vishnu
Rishis – Jamatagni and Visvamitra
Gandharvas – Drudrashtra and Varsha
Apsaras – Thilothama and Ramba
Nagas – Kathraveya and Malakshavathara
Rakshas – Brahma Preda and Yaksha Preda

Meena Sankranti – Rituals

-Holy dip / bath has to be taken. If bath is taken in a river, both the hands should be joined in a cup, some water has to be taken from the running river and poured back into the river looking at the Sun.
-At Sunrise, special prayers are to be offered to Sri Surya seeking welfare of all. Slokas invoking Surya can be chanted.
-Puja place at home is to be decorated with lamps, dhup and flowers. Sweets are to be offered as Neivedyam and distributed to all.
-Daan / donation of either food or money or clothing or any other item can be made to the poor and the needy.

It is believed that making daan shall bring in prosperity.