Makar Sankranti is one of the auspicious festival in Hindu tradition and along with sweets and flying kites their is a ritual called Sugad Pujan (earthen pots). This puja is done for the well-being and prosperity of their families. The word Sugad is a corrupted form of Sughat (Su-ghat), meaning a good pot.
On the day of Makar Sankranti, married women worship Sugad (earthen pots) for the well-being and prosperity of their families. The word Sugad is a corrupted form of Sughat (Su-ghat), meaning a good pot. On this day, gratitude towards nature is expressed by worshipping the new harvest.
What is Sugad?
Sugad are small earthen pots. Two types of Sugad are available in the market: large Sugad (called 'Chadhata') and small Sugad (called 'Utarta'). It is customary to worship five Sugad pots.
Auspicious time for Sugad Puja
On the day of Makar Sankranti, the sun enters the Capricorn zodiac sign. In 2026, the sun's transition is happening on January 14th in the morning. Performing Sugad Puja between 10:00 AM and 1:30 PM on Sankranti day is considered very auspicious. However, according to local traditions, this puja is performed in many places early in the morning or in the afternoon before sunset.
Materials required for the puja
- Five earthen Sugad pots.
- Soaked chickpeas, sugarcane, carrots, berries, beans (broad beans/green beans).
- Sesame seeds and jaggery, halwa.
- New wheat or rice.
- Turmeric powder, vermilion, unbroken rice grains, and flowers.
- A wooden stool or platform.
Sugad Puja Ritual
1. Cleaning the Sugad: First, wash the earthen Sugad pots thoroughly and dry them. Then, draw vertical lines of turmeric and vermilion on the outside of the clay pots and tie a thread around their necks.
2. Arrangement: Draw a rangoli design on a wooden plank or on the ground and place wheat or rice on it. Arrange these five clay pots on top of it.
3. Filling the pots: Put chickpeas, jujubes, sugarcane pieces, pods, carrots, and sesame-jaggery mixture into each pot. Place new wheat or rice on top of the contents of the pot and cover it with a small lid.
4. Worship: Worship the clay pots with devotion. Offer turmeric, vermilion, unbroken rice grains, and flowers. Offer incense and light a lamp.
5. Offering: Offer sesame-jaggery mixture as prasad to the pots and bow down with devotion.
6. Sharing the offerings: After the worship, offerings are given to married women. The ritual of 'receiving the pots' is performed by having the women worship (perform aarti for) each other's pots.Significance of Sugad Puja
In the clay pots, we fill new grains and fruits of the winter season. This is the worship of the food given to us by nature. Filling food in the earthen pots and placing them near the altar is a prayer that there should be no shortage of food in our house throughout the year.