Flowers for Makar Sankranti...

The local Halasuru market was full of varieties of fresh flowers required for the celebration of Makar Sankranti festival celebrated y'day in the city...

One of the interesting facts associated with this Festive day is the famous Sankranti ‘sunbeam’ occurrence at the ancient Gavi Gangadeshwara Cave Temple in Gavipuram (in south Bangalore) dedicated to lord Shiva and is a protected monument.

In another confluence of faith and science, a unique phenomenon occurs here, every year, on this day. A beam of sun rays passes through the two windows to the south of the cave, facing the temple, and slides down through the horns of the monolithic statue of Shiva’s Nandi bull. Then, the sunbeams fade away, after touching the lingam. The sun rays do not enter the temple on any other day in this pattern. The time varies somewhat, but it always occurs around winter solstice. More...