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Makar Sankranti in January and Gangaur in March-April are two festivals that hold deep cultural significance in Rajasthan and across India. While Sankranti is celebrated with kite flying and til-gur delicacies, Gangaur is a uniquely Rajasthani festival honouring Goddess Gauri with elaborate rituals, processions, and traditional feasts. This guide from Laxi Super Mart covers the grocery shopping needs for both festivals.
Makar Sankranti marks the transition of the sun into Capricorn and is celebrated with sesame seeds (til) and jaggery (gur) sweets across India. The festival symbolises warmth and sweetness in relationships.
| Item | Quantity (Family of 4) | Estimated Cost (INR) | Used In |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Sesame Seeds (Til) | 500 g | 100–140 | Til ladoo, til chikki, til patti |
| Jaggery (Gur) | 1 kg | 80–120 | All Sankranti sweets |
| Peanuts (Raw) | 500 g | 70–90 | Chikki, snacking |
| Desi Ghee | 500 g | 280–350 | Ladoo and halwa |
| Dry Fruits (Assorted) | 250 g | 350–450 | Garnishing and gifting |
| Poha (Flattened Rice) | 500 g | 40–60 | Chivda, mixture |
| Rewari (Ready-Made) | 500 g | 120–180 | Traditional Sankranti sweet |
| Gajak (Ready-Made) | 500 g | 150–200 | Sesame brittle |
In many parts of North India, khichdi is the traditional Sankranti meal:
In Rajasthan, Sankranti is also an occasion for gifting. Families exchange til ladoo, gajak, and dry fruit boxes. If you plan to gift 5–8 families, add extra til, gur, and packaging materials to your list. Laxi Super Mart offers festive packaging options during the Sankranti season.
Gangaur is one of the most important festivals in Rajasthan, celebrated 18 days after Holi. Married and unmarried women worship Goddess Gauri (Parvati) for marital bliss and a good husband. The festival features stunning processions in Jaipur, Udaipur, and Jodhpur, with women carrying beautifully decorated Gauri idols.
The Gangaur puja spans multiple days and requires specific items:
The Gangaur feast is an occasion for women to cook elaborate Rajasthani dishes:
| Dish | Key Ingredients | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Dal Baati Churma | Wheat flour, ghee, mixed dals, jaggery | Rajasthani staple for festivals |
| Gatte ki Sabzi | Besan, curd, spices | Traditional curry |
| Panchkuta | Ker, sangri, papad, kumatiya, gunda | Five-ingredient desert delicacy |
| Bajre ki Roti | Bajra flour, ghee | Traditional Rajasthani bread |
| Malpua | Maida, milk, sugar, fennel | Sweet served as prasad |
| Ghewar | Maida, ghee, sugar syrup | If available early in the season |
| Item | Quantity | Estimated Cost (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Wheat Flour (Atta) | 2 kg | 70–90 |
| Bajra Flour | 1 kg | 50–70 |
| Besan | 500 g | 60–80 |
| Desi Ghee | 1 kg | 550–700 |
| Mixed Dals | 1 kg | 120–160 |
| Curd | 1 kg | 60–80 |
| Jaggery | 500 g | 40–60 |
| Ker-Sangri (Dried) | 200 g | 200–300 |
| Maida | 500 g | 30–40 |
| Milk | 3 litres | 180–210 |
| Puja Items (Turmeric, Kumkum, etc.) | Assorted | 200–300 |
| Festival | Category | Estimated Cost (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Makar Sankranti | Til-Gur Sweets | 800–1,100 |
| Makar Sankranti | Khichdi & Meals | 300–400 |
| Makar Sankranti | Gifting Items | 500–800 |
| Gangaur | Puja Items | 400–600 |
| Gangaur | Feast Ingredients | 1,400–1,800 |
| Gangaur | Sweets & Prasad | 400–600 |
| Total | 3,800–5,300 | |
While this guide focuses on Rajasthani traditions, Makar Sankranti is celebrated differently across India:
While the Rajasthani celebrations focus on traditional sweets and Gangaur rituals, Gujarat's Uttarayan (Makar Sankranti) is one of the biggest kite festivals in the world. If your family celebrates Gujarati-style, here are the additional grocery items you will need:
Undhiyu is a mixed vegetable casserole that is the signature dish of Uttarayan in Gujarat. It is a labour of love that requires specific ingredients:
Undhiyu is traditionally cooked upside down (undhu means inverted in Gujarati) in an earthen pot buried in the ground. Modern versions are made in a heavy-bottomed pot or pressure cooker. Either way, the ingredient list remains the same.
The classic Gujarati Sankranti breakfast is jalebi-fafda, bought fresh from the local sweet shop. If you prefer making them at home:
The Gangaur procession is one of the most spectacular cultural events in Rajasthan. In Jaipur, the procession starts from the City Palace and winds through the old city, with beautifully dressed women carrying Gauri idols on their heads. In Udaipur, the procession goes around Lake Pichola, and the final ceremony involves immersing the Gauri idols in the lake.
For families participating in or watching the procession, preparation includes packing food that can be carried and eaten on the go:
One common frustration with Sankranti sweets is their tendency to go stale quickly in warm weather. Here are storage tips to maximise freshness:
| Product | Room Temperature Shelf Life | Refrigerated Shelf Life | Storage Tips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Til Ladoo | 7–10 days | 3–4 weeks | Airtight container, layer with parchment |
| Til Chikki | 2–3 weeks | 2 months | Wrap individually in butter paper |
| Gajak | 1–2 weeks | 1 month | Keep dry, avoid humidity |
| Rewari | 2–3 weeks | 2 months | Airtight tin container |
| Peanut Chikki | 2–3 weeks | 2 months | Wrap individually, store in tin |
The key to longevity is keeping moisture out. Jaggery-based sweets absorb humidity quickly, which is why airtight containers are essential. If making chikki or gajak at home, ensure the jaggery is cooked to the right stage — undercooked jaggery makes the sweets soft and prone to spoilage, while properly cooked jaggery produces a firm, long-lasting product.
For gifting purposes, individually wrapped chikkis and ladoos in butter paper, packed inside decorative tins, make the most practical Sankranti gifts. You can find gift-ready tins and packaging at Laxi Super Mart during the Sankranti season, or reuse steel containers from your kitchen for a more sustainable approach.
The tradition of eating til (sesame) and gur (jaggery) during Makar Sankranti is not just cultural — it is rooted in Ayurvedic wisdom. January is the coldest month in North India, and these ingredients provide specific benefits:
When shopping for these items, choose white sesame seeds (safed til) for sweets and black sesame seeds (kala til) for savoury preparations and oil extraction. For jaggery, prefer darker varieties which indicate higher mineral content. Check the jaggery brand guide on our blog for detailed comparisons.
Finding speciality ingredients like ker-sangri, bajra flour, and quality gajak can be challenging at regular stores. Laxi Super Mart stocks the full range of Rajasthani specialities year-round, with expanded selections during the festival season. For your everyday grocery needs, consult our monthly grocery shopping guide and build your festival additions around it.
From til ladoo to dal baati churma, these festivals are a celebration of tradition, family, and flavour. Laxi Super Mart wishes you a joyful Makar Sankranti and a beautiful Gangaur. Happy shopping!
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