Festivals in India- Lohri

Lohri is a festival celebrated in the northern parts of India such as Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh parts.

Amidst the cold weather, people await this bonfire festival as an opportunity to emerge out of their houses and to celebrate the winter crops.

This festival is an ideal way to relax as well as enjoy the traditional dances and folk songs.

Punjab is the appropriate place for winter crop that is sown in October and in the months of March or April harvested.

In the month of January, the golden harvest is seen and the Lohri festival is celebrated prior to the cutting as well as gathering of crops.

Lohri as per the Hindu calendar falls somewhere in mid-January. This brings the end of the coldest month as well as announces the auspicious Uttarayan period and the Magh month.

Hindus take bath in the Ganges and try to wash their sins. On the day of Lohri, children sing and demand loot at every door step and this loot is received in the form of eatables and money.

The eatables include peanuts, seeds or jaggery and also sweets such as rewri and gajak. They praise and sing the Dulha Bhatti, another robin hood of Punjab who stole from the rich to aid the poor.

Bonfire ritual is held in the front yard of the houses and is offered puffed rice and popcorn. They keep shouting prayers to the fire god and ask them to be blessed with prosperity and abundance.

They exchange gifts and greetings. They likewise distribute Prasad as well containing jaggery, til, peanuts, gajak and popcorn. The winter savories are eaten sitting encircling the bonfire.

This includes their traditional dinner with makki-di-roti and sarson-da-saag. The night is real fun as bhangra dance is done. The drum beats and the dance of men and women looks graceful.

Lohri is also known as Maghi that denotes the month Magh beginning. This is regarded as a very auspicious day and holy dips are taken in the river and lots of charity is given.

Lohri is a festival of Punjab and is a fun-loving, energetic and enthusiastic festival. Lohri symbolizes the love for light hearted flirtations and celebrations.

Lohri of a newly wed bride or a born baby is very important. Nowadays, Lohri is seen an opportunity to break the busy schedules so that they can join together.

Lohri as well coincides with Pongal, Uttarayan and Makar Sankranti that also offers the same message and celebrates the bountiful life on earth.