Happy Makar Sankranti

[nisha gilra]

Makar Sankranti is an occasion for spreading sweetness around you through expression and thought. The traditional exchange of til gur (a mixture of sesame seeds and Jaggery) is symbolic of that. May everyone retain this spirit of sweetness throughout the year. - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Q: What is the purpose of having Til Gud (Sesame seed and Jaggery) on Makar sankranti? 

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Makar Sankranti is being celebrated in India. ‘Til gud gya ani gode gode bola’ (Take sesame and jiggery and speak sweetly). The message of Makar Sankranti is that we should consider ourselves insignificant like the sesame seed. Do not consider yourself a very important person. Consider yourself like the sesame seed. Look at the sesame seed - it is black on the outside and white inside. Nowadays, it is the reverse. People are black from inside, but look fair on the outside. Not that! We need purity inside too, purity within. We are insignificant like the sesame seed, and sweet as jaggery (gud). Do not forget this message. So what are we? We are the sesame seed as well as the jaggery. 

I want that in every village of this country, a wave of spirituality should arise. In every village, satsang should happen, people should do kirtan, bhajan and meditation. A wonderful atmosphere will spread. So, all of you take this pledge - people in groups of ten should go from village to village and do kirtan there, have them do meditation, and transform the atmosphere there.

Jai Gurudev :)