Though the name of the festival is specific to Tamil Nadu, in India, it is also celebrated in other southern states such as Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
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Makar Sankranti is a festival that marks the start of northern declination (called Uttarayana in Sanskrit) of the Sun from the Zodiaca sign of Sagittarius (Sanskrit name: Dhanurmas) to Capricorn (Sanskrit: Makara), which according to Hindu calendar usually falls on 14 January.