Makar Sankranti sees the religious ceremonies throughout the country to mark the sun's northward journey. There are usually fairs at the confluence of major rivers during the first day of the month according to the Nepalese calendar when people take bath in the holy rivers. The festival witnesses special celebration at the Devghat River confluence, near the Royal Chitwan National Park, where the Trisuli and Kali Gandaki rivers meet. It is celebrated according to the solar calendar and occurs in mid-January. On this day devotees pay obeisance to Lord Shiva and other Hindu deities. IN the Kathmandu Valley, Newars celebrate the festival as Ghya- Chaku sanlhu by partakintg the ritual dish containing butter (ghya), molasses (chaku), sesame seedcakes and yam.