Practice : Makar Sankranti marks the commencement of the sun's journey to the Northern Hemisphere and is a day of celebration all over the country. Wherever there is a body of water, people take a dip in the waters on this day and worship the sun. Also known as Gangasagar Mela, on this day, people come from all over India for a ceremonial cleansing in the River Hooghly, near Calcutta. In Gujarat, brightly coloured kites dot the skies, in celebration of Makara Sankranti.