New Delhi
Lohri, the harvest festival of north India, will be celebrated on January 14 this year. Lohri is also known as Lohadi or Lal Loi. The joyous festival that celebrates the new harvest and marks the end of the winter season, is celebrated with bonfires and dance.
Usually the family of the newly-weds or the family in which a baby is born hosts the Lohri party. It is celebrated a day before Makar Sankranti, a festival that marks the end of the month with the winter solstice and beginning of longer days.
People exchange beautiful Lohri messages, greet each other, wear new dresses, and circle around the bonfire to the tunes of famous festival song, “sundar mundariye ho“. They also throw popcorns, rewari and groundnuts in the fire. It is also traditional to eat “til rice” which is made by mixing jaggery, sesame seeds and rice on this day.
Date of Lohri festival:
This year, Lohri will be celebrated on January 14, Tuesday. Lohri Sankranti moment is 2:22 am on January 15.
Celebration of Lohri festival:
Lohri is a traditional welcome of longer days and sun’s journey to the northern hemisphere by Sikhs and Hindus in Punjab.
A bonfire is lit; popcorns, peanuts, rewari and gajak are distributed to all neighbours, friends and relatives. A feast, song and dance programme is arranged and everyone welcomes the good crop.
Lohri holds special significance for the newly-married couple or the new-born child in the family as family members and relatives gather together to celebrate their first Lohri. It is also traditional to eat “til rice” which is made by mixing jaggery, sesame seeds and rice on this day.
History, Significance of Lohri festival:
Lohri commemorates the passing of the winter solstice. The ancient significance of the festival is both as a winter crop season celebration and a remembrance of the Sun God. Lohri songs mention the Indian Sun god asking for heat and thanking him for his return. Other legends explain the celebration as a folk reverence for fire or the goddess of Lohri.
Happy Lohri!
