In India, harvest festivals in January mark the beginning of festivities every year. Makar Sankranti festival marks the beginning of the harvest season and the sun’s transit to the Capricorn. Globe Aware volunteers can take part in Jaipur, and even fly kites or visit beautiful temples.

From Lohri, Makar Sankranti to Pongal; here’s how India celebrates these harvest festivals

13 Jan 2024
Livemint

In India, harvest festivals in the month of January mark the beginning of festivities every year. The onset of harvest season is observed across the country under various names based on the region where it is celebrated. The festival is widely celebrated in the Indian Subcontinent and by Hindus all over the world.

North Indian Hindus and Sikhs refer to it as Maghi, which is preceded by Lohri. In Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka and Telangana, it is known as Makara Sankranti and also Poush Sôngkrānti. In central India, it is called Sukarat, Assamese call it Magh Bihu, in Eastern Uttar Pradesh it is called Khichdi.

Lohri

Lohri festivities are followed by Makar Sankranti. This year Lohri festivities will take place on January 14. It is observed primarily in the northern regions of India, including Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. While paying their respects to Sun God, people sing and dance around the bonfire. Traditional dishes like Makki ki Roti, Sarson ka Saag, Pinni, Gur Gajak, Dahi Bhalle and Halwa are the culinary delights cherished on this occasion.

Makar Sankranti

Makar Sankranti marks the sun’s transit to the Capricorn which is followed by warmer and longer days. This day marks an end to a bitter cold spell. This period of Uttarayan lasts for around six months. Sankranti means movement of the sun while Makar Sankranti is the most important of all 12 Sankranti that fall in a year.

Makar Sankranti usually falls on January 14 every year, but as per Drik Panchang, this year the festival will be celebrated on January 15. During the festival, people worship the Sun God, take a holy dip in sacred water bodies, engage in charitable activities by giving alms to the needy, fly kites, prepare sweets made of sesame and jaggery, and worship livestock. Moreover, farmers across India pray for good crops.

Pongal

Pongal is celebrated in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka and Pondicherry. The festival derives its name from the Tamil word meaning ‘spilling over.’ The festivities begin with boiling the season’s first rice with milk and jaggery. Bhogi Pongal marks the begining to 4 day long festivities. It is followed by Surya Pongal and Mattu Pongal on the third day. Kannum marks the conclusion to these festivities.

Rituals that mark this occasion include bathing, processions, prayers at home and temples, elaborate feasts, house decorations and worship of the Sun God.

Jallikattu, a bull taming sport is widely celebrated in the state of Tamil Nadu as part of Pongal celebrations. Jallikattu event in Madurai will be held for three days, beginning from January 15. This event involves releasing a bull into a crowd of people where participants try to grab hold of the bull’s hump in an attempt to stop the bull.

Uttarayan

The festival, also known as Uttarayan, in Gujarat and Rajasthan is marked by kite flying. In Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, this festival is associated with the popular practice of kite flying. Since 1989, the day has been observed as International Kite Festival.

For our extra adventurous Globe Aware volunteers who want to continue their time at a volunteer vacation destination, here are some of the most exciting events travelers can participate in for 2024.

10 unmissable events worth travelling for in 2024

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BY NORA WALLAYA
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One of the most rewarding ways to plan a trip is by building it around a specific event connected to a deep interest or passion. Taking part in something meaningful on your travels creates a unique connection with a destination that can lead to memories that will last a lifetime. Whether it’s testing your athletic derring-do in an ultra-marathon in Peru or whipping out your spray cans at a graffiti festival in Bristol, we’ve rounded up some of the most exciting events for you to participate in for 2024.

UNESCO declares Thailand’s Songkran festival as an Intangible Cultural Heritage

TIMESOFINDIA.COM
Dec 11, 2023

Come April 2024, Thailand will have a perfect reason to celebrate Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year in a much bigger way than ever before. Very recently, UNESCO formally recognized the Songkran in Thailand as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, and Globe Aware volunteers can take part by booking a volunteer vacation during that time! 

Synopsis

UNESCO formally recognised the Songkran in Thailand, Traditional Thai New Year Festival as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. This designation solidifies the cultural significance and importance of the Songkran festival. For those curious, Songkran is a festival that is celebrated in Thailand every year in the month of April.

This song of joy and gratitude for Globe Aware volunteers was written and sung by Emma Peraulta, one of our community program recipients, in December of 2023 in the Philippines. 

The travel industry is gearing up for 2024 to be the busiest year for travel ever, according to Brian Kelly, founder and CEO of The Points Guy, a website that tracks travel trends. Here are some excellent tips for Globe Aware volunteers to follow before booking!

“The Points Guy” predicts 2024 will be busiest travel year ever. He’s got some tips.

CBS MORNINGS
BY ANALISA NOVAK
DECEMBER 28, 2023

The travel industry is gearing up for 2024 to be the busiest year for travel ever, according to Brian Kelly, founder and CEO of The Points Guy, a website that tracks travel trends.

“You know, just since Thanksgiving, 2.9 million people went through the TSA screening. And with the economy potentially not being as bad as we thought, people are feeling confident, so its going to be a busy year for travel,” Kelly told “CBS Mornings.”

Visitors, including Globe Aware volunteers, to Kenya worldwide will no longer require a visa from January. The government has developed a digital platform to ensure all visitors receive an electronic travel authorization in advance, instead of needing to apply for a visa.

Tourists to Kenya can go visa-free in 2024

Reuters
December 25, 2023

Visitors to Kenya from across the world will no longer require a visa from January, President William Ruto said on December 12.

Fireworks and champagne might be common worldwide, but have our Globe Aware volunteers heard of these other New Year’s traditions?

14 Different New Year’s Traditions Around the World

By Chris Ciolli, Jessie Beck
December 15, 2023
AFAR

Although much of the world festively rings in the new year each December 31, we don’t all celebrate the same way. In the United States, we all know the traditions: the ball drop at Times Square, sharing a kiss with a loved one at the stroke of midnight, and countless amounts of fireworks. But elsewhere around the globe, traditions can include everything from giving your house a thorough cleaning to cracking open a fresh pomegranate.

From Spain to Japan, read on to learn about 14 different New Year’s Eve celebrations around the globe.

How fun! Astrologically, 2024 promises to be a stimulating year for travel, and for any of our Globe Aware volunteers who are Leos or Scorpios, we’re looking at you especially!

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Conde Naste Traveler

After the year of revenge travel (and flight costs rising with a similar vengeance), tourism might be settling into relative homeostasis in 2024. Then again, everything has changed, including the terrain of where you’ll want to go next, and maybe even the order of your bucket list.

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I Travel to Cuba All The Time — For U.S. Travelers, It’s Much Easier Than You Think

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By Associated Press
By Carley Rojas Avila

The desire to travel to Cuba is a classic case of wanting what you think you can’t have. Cuba’s “off-limits” feel has long made it a perpetually popular destination for intrepid travelers.

Cuba has been named TripAdvisor’s number-one trending destination worldwide and is one of the top 10 most desirable tropical destinations for American travelers.

As an American citizen married to a Cuban, I’ve traveled to Cuba numerous times and know that travel to Cuba is far from off-limits. In fact, it’s easier to travel from the United States to Cuba than it has been in decades. U.S. travelers don’t even need family on the island or rigid group travel plans to do it. Your long-awaited vacation to Cuba might be closer than you think.

These 25 places offer ample opportunities for conscientious, sustainable exploration—exactly what Globe Aware travelers who care are seeking right now. We even have three available programs in the locations mentioned on the list!

Where to Go in 2024

The 25 most exciting places around the world to visit next

From a British city reimagining its industrial past and a laid-back Kenyan island free of cars to the best place in North America to see the total solar eclipse, our 25 picks for where to go next year have several traits in common: Each is an awe-inspiring, joy-inducing destination where human connection and creativity define the travel experience. These 25 places (listed in no particular order) offer ample opportunities for conscientious, sustainable exploration—exactly what AFAR’s travelers who care are seeking right now. Cheers to a year of getting out there.