Lohri

LOHRI

Lohri celebrated on the 13th day of January, Lohri is a festival of zeal and verve and marks the culmination of the chilly winter. Celebrated all over the Panjab, Jammu and Kashmir and even in much of India.

Calender

The festival shares much in common with festivals all over the world which until Julius Ceasar and his follower Augustus decided that each deserved a month named after them, added two months forever throwing things out of season in the west. This is why September, October, November and December are each 2 months out of sequence with their names derived from Sanskrit. December (10) Das-ember becomes the 12th month. Otherwise the whole world would celebrate the coming of the new year at the same time.

Traditions of Bonfire

In true spirit of the culture, men and women perform Bhangra and Giddha, popular Punjabi folk dances, around a bonfire. Enthusiastic children go from house to house singing songs and people oblige them generously by giving them money and eatables as offering for the festival. Late in the evening, people gather around the bonfire and throw sweets (gachak and rewri), puffed rice and popcorn (as holy offering) into it and sing folk songs. Lohri is also an auspicious occasion to celebrate a newly born baby’s or a new bride’s arrival in the family. The day ends with a traditional feast of sarson da saag and makki di roti and a dessert of rau di kheer (a dessert made of sugarcane juice and rice).

Celebration

Legends

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