Mesha Sankranti marks the day the Sun enters Mesha Rashi (Aries) in the sidereal zodiac — the first of the twelve Rashis. This transit typically occurs around April 13–15 each year and is considered the beginning of the Hindu solar new year. Unlike the lunar Ugadi (which starts the luni-solar new year), Mesha Sankranti starts the solar calendar followed for astrological calculations, temple rituals, and South Indian traditional observances. In Tamil Nadu it is celebrated as Puthandu; in Kerala as Vishu. In Telugu tradition, Mesha Sankranti marks the start of a new agricultural and ritual cycle.
Why Mesha Sankranti is the Most Auspicious Sankranti
Of the twelve monthly solar transits (Sankrantis), Mesha and Makara are considered the most significant. Mesha Sankranti, like Akshaya Tritiya, is a Punya Kala — a window of heightened spiritual merit where even ordinary good deeds yield exceptional fruit. It is said that a bath in a sacred river at sunrise on Mesha Sankranti is equivalent to the merit of a hundred pilgrimages. Starting new ventures, purchasing land or gold, or performing charitable acts on this day is considered especially auspicious. Many families also consult their annual horoscope (Varsha Phala) on this day.
Vishu and Puthandu: Same Transit, Different Names
The same Mesha Sankranti is celebrated as Vishu in Kerala, where the Vishukani (an auspicious arrangement of gold, rice, vegetables, and scriptures viewed at dawn) is central, and as Tamil Puthandu in Tamil Nadu. In these traditions, the first thing seen on the morning of the new year matters greatly — so preparations are made the night before. This pan-South Indian significance of Mesha Sankranti underlines how deeply the solar calendar connects the cultures of the region, even when the celebrations carry different local names and expressions.
Puja and Observances
On Mesha Sankranti, families perform a special Surya Puja (sun worship) at sunrise. An oil bath at dawn, offering Arghya (water poured toward the rising sun with prayers), and visiting a Vishnu or Surya temple are common practices. Charities — donating food, water pots (Ghatas), and clothing — are considered especially meritorious on this day. Many Jyotishis consult the Mesha Sankranti chart (drawn for the moment the Sun enters Aries) to make predictions about the year's rainfall, harvests, and national events. This is similar to the Ugadi Panchanga Sravanam tradition.