Uttarayana

Uttarāyaṇa (उत्तरायण, উত্তরায়ণ, ઉત્તરાયણ), or Uttarayana, is the six-month period between Winter solstice (around December 22) and Summer solstice (around June 21), when the sun apparently travels towards the north on the celestial sphere. But it is common to erroneously refer it to as the period between the Makar Sankranti (which currently occurs around January 14) and Karka Sankranti (which currently occurs around July 18). The name Uttarayana comes from joining two different Sanskrit words "Uttara" (North) and "ayana" (movement towards). The period from June 21 to December 22 is known is Dakshināyana (दक्षिणायण).