Makar Sankranti is one of the few ancient Hindu festivals that has been observed according to solar cycles. Being a festival that celebrates the solar cycle, it almost always falls on the same date every year (January 14), except in rare years when the date shifts by a day for that year, because of the complexity of earth-sun relative movement.The festivities associated with Makar Sankranti are known by various names such as Lohri by north Indian Hindus and Sikhs, Sukarat in central India, Bhogali Bihu by Assamese Hindus, and Pongal by Tamil and other south Indian Hindus.