Come Karthi month and the Hindu devotees come together to celebrate Tula Sankranti or Garbhana Sankranti. The celebration takes place in the Kartik month as per the Hindu calendar, which roughly falls in the month of October according to the Gregorian calendar. Celebrated on the Maha-Ashtami day, this festival comes soon after Navratri and is considered extremely auspicious. The festival is celebrated all across Indian with different rituals throughout. In Odisha and Karnataka, the festival is celebrated as the rice field harvest festival. Tula Sankranti is said to have social, religious, and cultural significance throughout the country.

Since Indians often observe auspicious days with holy dips or bath in the sacred river, this day sees no different. Pujas and prayers are offered to please Goddess Lakshmi (Laxmi) and the Sun God. Celebrated essentially amongst the farmers, puja ceremonies take place to pray to Gods and Goddesses. On this day consuming a rich meal to believed to be extremely auspicious and that this will help you get rid of any future food shortages.

Tula Sankranti Date, Timings and Muhurat

Tula Sankranti takes place in a specific time when the Sun is said to enter Tula Rashi (Libra Sunsign). Here's the shubh muhurat, date and timings that you must keep in mind if you are celebrating the auspicious day.

  • Tula Sankranti Punya Kaal Muhurta

  • Tula Sankranti on Friday, October 18, 2019

  • Tula Sankranti Punya Kala (Auspicious Timings): 06:29 AM to 12:20 PM

    Duration - 05 Hours 51 Mins

  • Tula Sankranti Maha Punya Kala (Auspicious Timings): 06:29 AM to 08:26 AM

    Duration - 01 Hour 57 Mins

Significance of Tula Sankranti

Tula Sankranti, is celebrated to mark the auspicious transit of Sun into Tula Rashi. This harvest festival is celebrated to worship Goddess Lakshmi and the Sun God to seek protection from natural calamities or crops loss. Since it is a harvest festival, various food items are prepared and offered to Goddess Lakshmi. The celebration is said to be performed to pray to Gods for a healthy harvest and prevent any famines and drought. Prosperity among the farmers is seeked from Gods on this day. Some people also perform Shradh or prayers for the deceased soul on this day. Devotees worship Goddess Laxmi, Goddess Parvati and Sun God. Fresh harvest in the form of rice grains, wheat grains, branches of Kara plants, betel leaves, palm nuts, sandalwood paste, vermilion paste, and bangles are offered often.

The festival aims at offering prayers to the Gods so that there is no food scarcity in future. In Odisha, farmers measure the yield of rice, wheat, and pulses, decorate temples, offer prasad to the Gods, perform donations to needy people in forms of food and money.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 18, 2019 07:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).