Look Up: Kites Over the Yamuna on 15 January 2027
Makar Sankranti 2027 falls on Friday, 15 January. On rooftops across Delhi, the sky fills with kites — a mark of Uttarayan, the Sun's northward journey into Capricorn, and the end of the winter solstice. It is a harvest festival, traditionally regarded as auspicious for new beginnings, and in Delhi it means a city that takes to its roofs and terraces to fly paper until the light goes.
Plan to be here for the day itself. The festival's roots lie in Hindu astronomy and agricultural tradition, marking the close of the harvest season, and the mythology of the day — Lord Surya visiting his son Shani in Capricorn — turns it into a celebration of reconciliation and family bonds. That is what you will see: families together on terraces, strings taut, the sky cut into diamonds.
Fly a Kite, or Just Watch the Rooftops
Kite-flying is the central activity of the day. You do not need an invitation to join in — buy a kite and a spool of manja from any neighbourhood stall in the days before, then find a terrace or an open roof with a view. The older parts of the city and the dense residential colonies are where the flying is thickest.
- Buy kites and string from local markets in the run-up to 15 January; stalls appear in most residential neighbourhoods.
- Head for rooftops and terraces in the afternoon — that is when the flying peaks and the sky is busiest.
- Watch for the kite battles: strings cross, one kite drifts loose, and the cry goes up from the roof that cut it.
- Keep an eye on the horizon at dusk, when the last kites come down and the day's flying ends.
Eat the Harvest: Til, Gud and the Winter Table
Makar Sankranti food in Delhi is built on two ingredients that define the season: sesame (til) and jaggery (gud). These are the traditional foods of the festival, exchanged and eaten as a mark of the harvest and of new beginnings. You will find them in sweets shops and in home kitchens across the city.
- Look for til ke laddoo — sesame and jaggery sweets — in sweet shops and market stalls.
- Try gud (jaggery) in its raw blocks, sold in provision markets through the winter.
- Khichdi is the other staple of the day: rice and lentils cooked together, warming and simple, eaten in homes and at community kitchens.
- Pair the food with the season's other winter produce — the city's vegetable markets are at their best in January.
Markets, Neighbourhoods and the City's Rhythm
Delhi's Makar Sankranti is not a single ticketed event. It is a citywide, neighbourhood-scale festival. The most rewarding way to experience it is to walk through residential colonies and market streets in the days before and on the day itself.
- Wander the older neighbourhoods, where terraces are close together and kite-flying is most visible.
- Visit local markets in the run-up to the festival for kites, string, til, gud and winter vegetables.
- Look for community gatherings and temple activity around the festival — the day is traditionally auspicious for new beginnings, so temples see visitors.
- Expect the city to be quieter on the morning of 15 January and busier on the rooftops by afternoon.
When to Go and How to Plan
Makar Sankranti 2027 is on Friday, 15 January. Delhi in mid-January is deep winter — cold mornings, clear skies, and the best conditions for a day spent outdoors on a roof. Arrive a few days early to buy kites and get a feel for the neighbourhoods; stay through the day itself to see the flying at its height.
Book your travel around 15 January 2027, pack for cold weather, and leave the afternoon free. The festival is about being outside, looking up, and eating well — and in Delhi, that is exactly what the city does.