Makar Sankranti/Pongal
There is a special significance attached to the celebration of Makar sankranti, the day when according to the Hindu astronomy the sun enters the rashi (zodiac) of Makara (Capricorn), is is considered auspicious as it signifies afresh start.It is also known as Uttarayan. However Makara Sankranti is celebrated in the month of Magha when the sun passes through the winter solstice, from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn.

Makara Sankranti is celebrated throughout India as a harvest festival. It is a way of giving thanks to the elements of nature that help man. This is the period when the winter recedes, paving the way for the summer. It is the time the farmers bring home their harvest. In the coast al regions, it is a harvest festival dedicated to Indra.

In North India, a ritual bath in the river is important on this day. Khichiri is eaten and given away as charity, and People also distribute rice and lentils to the poor and needy. In Maharashtra, a special dish called tilgul, or laddoos made of jaggery and Sesame seed, the chief crop of the season, is popular.In Gujrat it is celebrated as the Kite flying day.

Call it Lohri, Pongal or Sankranti, the festival conveys the same message -- the bond of brotherhood and the spirit of oneness should prevail despite all odds.
Bhogali Bihu in Assam :

Practice : Bihu is the Assamese harvest festival, which is celebrated to mark the end of the winter paddy harvest. On the night before the festival, people fast and pray, and thatched pavilions are put up around the countryside. As a sign of the festival having begun, the pavilions are set on fire at dawn. Bull fights and celebrations mark the day.
Lohri in Punjab
Pongal in Tamil Nadu & Andhra Pradesh

Pongal is actually a food that is cooked in the south.  This name has also been given to the harvest festival. According to the traditional Tamil calendar, three consecutive days in that week are devoted to celebrations.

The first day is Bhogi. On this day, every family cleans and decorates their house with Kolam designs. Their doorways are adorned with strings of Mango leaves and plaited Coconut leaves.

They collect old clothes and waste materials from their houses and make bonfires. It marks the celebration of good and an effort to rid the society of evil. It also brings hope for the next year: the hope that with the harvest festival on the next day will come wealth and happiness.

Pongal is celebrated on the second day. It is a rural festival in the south. People gather in front of their houses and cook ‘Pongal” in clay pots. Their courtyards are decorated with long shalks of sugarcane and under this sweet rice is cooked in milk. A great deal of visiting takes place among friends and neighbors and Pongal and sweets are exchanged among families.

The third day is called Maatu Pongal and this day is dedicated to the cattle, which help to reap the harvest. People offer prayers to the Bulls, Cows and other farm animals. Bull fighting takes place on the day.  Farmers take pride in bringing their bulls into the arena and challenging the matching people to bring the bulls under control.

Each bull has a cloth tied around its neck and the person who takes up the challenge has to take this cloth away. The deafening noises of drums and whistles and shouts, infuriates the bull and the exciting and dangerous game begins. So ends the festival of Pongal which is the most important festival of South India. It ends with hopes of a fresh new beginning and peace and prosperity for the coming year.

Pongal Recipe: Sweet Pongal

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups rice
1/2 tin condensed milk
50-75g jaggery
3 cloves, powdered
3 cardamom pods, powdered
2 tbsp ghee or butter
1 tbsp cashew nuts, chopped
1 tbsp raisins
3 cups water
Method
Heat ghee in a pan, fry cashews and raisins till golden brown. Strain and keep aside.

In a separate pan, wash rice well and cook in water till soft. Add a little more water, while cooking, if necessary.

When the rice is done and water almost evaporated, add jaggery and condensed milk and reduce the flame.

When almost dry, add cloves and cardamom powder and mix well. Serve hot with nuts and raisins.