Makar Sankrantri 2026: 10 traditional dishes enjoyed in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh

In Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, the festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated with much pomp and show. From donating til (sesame) to eating khichdi, the festival revolves around seasonal produces. As per legends, the festival is deeply rooted in agrarian traditions and is synonymous with wholesome, seasonal foods made from newly harvested crops, sesame seeds, jaggery, rice and lentils. The festival also honours Surya Dev (Sun God). Devotees express gratitude for sunlight, harvest, and life energy, acknowledging the Sun as the source of growth and nourishment. Take a look at 10 traditional dishes enjoyed on Makar Sankranti in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

It is a classic porridge-like dish made with flattened rice, curd, and jaggery or sugar. (Image: Instagram/bhukkadbihari)

It is a sweet snack dish made with beaten or pounded sesame seeds combine with jaggery or sugar.Traditionally handmade using stone grinders, this delicacy symbolises strength and warmth during the cold season. (Image: Instagram/

As the name suggests, it is a laddoo and is made with black sesame seeds, jaggery, and grated ginger.

This laddoo is made with white sesame seeds, which are first dry roasted and then combined with melted jaggery along with roasted peanuts for added crunch.

This is one of the most important dishes enjoyed on Sankranti and is made with rice, dal, turmeric, salt, and seasonal veggies. It is a one-pot dish and is tempered with ghee and cumin seeds.

This is a type of laddoo, made with puffed rice, combined with melted jaggery and seasoned with roasted peanuts and grated ginger.

On this occasion, the snack menu includes the classic dish, where flattened rice is shallow fried with a tempering of garlic and is then served with stir-fried green peas seasoned with salt, pepper, and chilli. (Image: Instagram/

This dish is prepared mainly in Uttar Pradesh, where broken rice is cooked with jaggery, ghee and whole spices, offering a perfect balance of sweetness and aroma.

This is a Bihari dish, where rice flour or wheat flour dough is stuffed with coarse chana dal mixture seasoned with hing, ajwain, ginger, and garlic, which are then steamed and served with dhania chutney.

On this day, khichdi is served with an assortment of pakodas, where the batter is made with besan and spices to which veggies like baigan, aloo, gobhi, shimla mirch and even paneer are added and deep fried until golden and crisp.