Hindoos celebrate Makar Sankranti

A devotee sits next to an ornamented cow during the religious Hindu festival of "Makar Sankranti", which marks the start of spring, in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad January 15, 2008. [Agencies]

A devotee sits next to an ornamented cow during the religious Hindu festival of "Makar Sankranti", which marks the start of spring, in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad January 15, 2008. [Agencies]

Hindu pilgrims worship the god of the sun "Surya" at Sagar Island before taking a holy dip at the confluence of the Ganges River and the Bay of Bengal at Sagar Island, about 150 km (93 miles) south of the eastern Indian city of Kolkata, Jan. 15, 2008. Hindu monks and pilgrims are making an annual trip to Sagar Island for the one-day festival of "Makar Sankranti". (Photo Source: China Daily/Agencies)