What’s the Significance of Winter Solstice or Uttarayana?: Know Everything For UPSC

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What’s the Significance of winter solstice or Uttarayana?

While in scientific terms, the winter solstice just means that the day grows shorter and the temperature drops due to changes in Earth’s placement. But it has some traditional meaning as well and depicts celebration and renewal of the year. The Winter Solstice has great spiritual significance in Sanatana Dharma. It holds different meanings in different cultures and has great significance across the world.

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Why in news?

The first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring on Thursday, 22 December, 2022.
So, December 22 marks the shortest day of this year.
This also marks the beginning of longer days and shorter nights.

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What are solstices?

Solstices occur because Earth’s axis of rotation is tilted about 23.4 degrees relative to Earth’s orbit around the sun.
This tilt drives our planet’s seasons, as the Northern and Southern Hemispheres get unequal amounts of sunlight over the course of a year.
From March to September, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted more toward the sun, driving its spring and summer.
From September to March, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away, so it feels like autumn and winter. The Southern Hemisphere’s seasons are reversed.
On two moments each year—what are called solstices—Earth’s axis is tilted most closely toward the sun. The hemisphere tilted most toward our home star sees its longest day, while the hemisphere tilted away from the sun sees its longest night.
During the Northern Hemisphere’s summer solstice—which always falls around June 21—the Southern Hemisphere gets its winter solstice.
Likewise, during the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice—which always falls around December 22—the Southern Hemisphere gets its summer solstice.
When it’s a summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun appears directly over the Tropic of Cancer, the latitude line at 23.5 degrees North.
During the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice, the sun appears directly over the Tropic of Capricorn, the Tropic of Cancer’s southern mirror image.

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What is Winter solstice?

Winter solstice is an astronomical event that occurs when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator.
It typically occurs around December 21st or 22nd and marks the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
The winter solstice marks the exact moment when half of Earth is tilted the farthest away from the sun.
Because less sunlight reaches Earth, the winter solstice is also the day of the year with the least amount of daytime, known as the shortest day of the year.
However, very day after the winter solstice will be a little longer, until we reach the day with the most hours of daylight. Called the summer solstice, it usually occurs between June 20 and June 22.
For people who live in the Southern Hemisphere, though, the winter solstice takes place in June. That’s because the seasons are reversed below the Equator. For instance, in New Zealand, it can actually snow in July.

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Significance of Uttarayana in Sanatana Dharma

The period starting from Capricorn Zodiac (Makara Rashi) up to Gemini Zodiac (Mithuna Rasi) is called as Uttarayana.
When Uttarayana Starts?: Uttarayana starts on Makar Sankramana Day usually January 14th or 15th. Uttarayana festival in 2023 begins on January 15. The day is also marked on December 21, 2022 in some calendars.
When Uttarayana Ends?: The period when Sun leaves Gemini Zodiac is known as Kataka Sankramana and this marks the end of the Uttarayana period. This happens annually on July 15th or 16th.
Uttarayan is a season for spiritual awakening.
Uttarayana is also called the Kaivalya Pada, the period of spirituality, of receptivity, grace and enlightenment, especially, the time between winter solstice and spring equinox.
Uttarayana is referred as Devayana, as it is the daytime for Gods, and most of the auspicious ceremonies and rituals are performed only in this period by certain Hindu communities. Uttarayana and Dakshinayana comprises of six months each.
According to the puranas, Bhishma waited for many weeks on his deathbed of arrows. Even though he was seriously hurt, he clung to live until Uttarayan arrived because he wanted to take advantage of nature’s change to facilitate his own. Gangaji followed Bhagirath and met Kapil Muni in the ocean on this day. Maharaja Bhagirathi also offered this day to his forefathers just on this day. On Makar Sankranti, beautiful fairs are held at Gangasagar in remembrance of that.
There is also a belief that bathing in the holy water of the ‘Triveni Sangam,’ which is the spot where three sacred rivers, the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati, meet at Prayagraj, is beneficial. The Hindu faith places a lot of emphasis on the “Kumbh Mela“ on Makar Sankranti. Taking a bath in the holy river during that time takes away all your sins with the river’s flow.

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Winter Solstice Related Festivals from around the World

Iran’s Yalda festival marks the day when Mithra, an angel of light, was thought to have been born.
China’s Dōngzhì festival celebrates when winter’s darkness begins to give way to light. Families observe this time with special foods, such as rice balls known as tang yuan.
Scandinavians (people who live in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden) gather for Juul, or Yule, a multi-day feast when ancient people would welcome the return of the sun god.
In Britain, some people still observe the ancient tradition of cutting mistletoe, which is considered a sacred plant with healing properties.

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FAQs on Significance of Winter Solstice or Uttarayana

Q. If solstices mark the brightest and darkest days of the year, why don’t temperatures reflect that?

Ans. In short, it’s because it takes time for Earth’s land and water to heat up and cool down. In the U.S., the year’s coldest temperatures set in after-mid January, roughly a month after the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice. Likewise, thermometers hit their high in the U.S. in July and August, weeks after the summer solstice.

Q. What is Winter Solstice?

Winter solsticeis an astronomical event that occurs when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator.
It typically occurs around December 21st or 22nd and marks the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

Q. What is Uttarayana?

Ans. The period starting from Capricorn Zodiac (Makara Rashi) up to Gemini Zodiac (Mithuna Rasi) is called as Uttarayana.

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