New Delhi, Jan 15 (IANS): Well-known TV actress Vidisha Srivastava recalled the Makar Sankranti celebrations during her childhood and also shared what she is doing this year.

She said: "Makar Sankranti is an auspicious occasion for us, and I follow all the rituals and traditions associated with it. We would wake up early in the morning, dress up, and perform Surya pooja. I remember my mother doing daan, in which she distributed til, daal, rice, and jaggery to those in need."

"The khichdi or tehri prepared by my mother on this day has always been a favourite of mine. I still follow all the rituals in my home because I believe giving something back and helping the poor are two of the most significant aspects of Indian culture."

The actress, who is known for her TV shows such as 'Yeh Hai Mohabbatein', 'Meri Gudiya', among others, is currently seen in the popular sitcom 'Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain'.

She told IANS how she loved flying kites during this festival: "Kite flying is not practised much in Mumbai, but I remember, when I was in Varanasi, we all liked to gather on the terrace to fly kites. We would also haves competitions with people on other terraces. We used to cut each other's kites and jump out for joy and our whole day would go like that.

"When we were children, Makar Sankranti was all about eating til and murmura laddus and flying kites. My brothers would give me the phirki to hold and they would fly the kites, which used to make me upset and I used to cry."

While talking about her plan for the entire day this year, she added: "I called my brother and we would fly kites in the sky like we used to do in childhood, it is very nostalgic. Also, I will be preparing some til laddu (prepared with sesame seeds and jaggery) at my house with the help of my mother."

"I will also prepare tehri, made from seasonal vegetables like green peas, carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, green onions, and garlic for my family. In my hometown, it is believed that eating tehri or khichdi on this day with curd is auspicious," Vidisha concluded.