KATHMANDU, JANUARY 15 Maghe (Makar) Sankranti is being observed across the country today with ritual bathing, prayers and traditional festivities, marking the sun's transition into Capricorn and the beginning of Uttarayan, when days start growing longer than nights. Devotees are thronging major river confluences and pilgrimage sites including Devghat, Trishuli, Kaligandaki, Bagmati, Indravati and Ridi for holy dips, while fairs are being held in several locations. In the Tarai, the day is being celebrated as Nahan, a traditional bathing festival. The festival is associated with charity, fasting, meditation and consumption of seasonal foods such as ghee, chaku, sesame-based delicacies, tarul (yam) and khichadi, believed to provide warmth and health benefits during winter. Maghe Sankranti is also celebrated as Maghi, the New Year of the Tharu community, and is observed in diverse forms by various ethnic groups, reflecting Nepal's cultural plurality. The day is traditionally considered auspicious for religious rites and new beginnings. Extending greetings on the occasion, President Ramchandra Paudel said festivals like Maghe Sankranti strengthen brotherhood, mutual harmony and tolerance in Nepal's multi-ethnic and multicultural society. He stressed the role of such festivals as valuable intangible cultural heritage that help promote national unity and respect for diversity. Prime Minister Sushila Karki also conveyed best wishes, expressing hope that Maghe Sankranti and Maghi inspire people to work collectively for peace, stability and prosperity. She noted that while the festival is known by different names, its core message of harmony and unity remains the same. Vice President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav highlighted the importance of conserving and sustainably using biological resources, noting that Magh 1 is also observed as National Agricultural Biodiversity Day, linked to the traditional consumption of root crops. Similarly, National Assembly Chair Narayan Prasad Dahal and Speaker Devaraj Ghimire said the festival fosters social goodwill, religious harmony and national unity, while encouraging respect for Nepal's ancient traditions and collective values. The festival continues throughout the country with family gatherings, cultural rituals and traditional foods, underscoring Maghe Sankranti's enduring social, religious and cultural significance.