Lohri is a harvest festival that marks the end of the winter season and the beginning of a new season for the farmers. Every year, the festival of Lohri falls on 13th January, a day before Makar Sankranti during the month of Magh, as per the Hindu calendar. This festival is manly celebrated in the Northern states of Punjab and Haryana. Besides Punjab and Haryana, Lohri is also celebrated in other states and popularly called as Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Bihu in Assam, Bhogi in Andhra Pradesh and Sankranti in Karnataka, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
It is a general belief that this festival is celebrated to worship fire. The day also marks the entry of Sun in the ‘Makar Rashi’ thus, has a connection with the Solar Year. More than an occasion of celebration, Lohri is a day for expressing gratitude to the Lord Almighty for showering his choicest blessings on us.
The legendary story associated with the origin of the festival of Lohri is related to the character of Dulla Bhatti, a Muslim robber who robbed rich people and helped the poor. Despite the fact that he was a robber, he once rescued a girl from being kidnapped and adopted her as his daughter. Since then, children go door to door, singing the Dulla Bhatti song and expressing their thankfulness.
Traditional Lohri Celebrations
Little girls and boys go from door to door singing the famous ‘Dulla Bhatti’ song, asking for their contributions to make arrangements for the bonfire. Special feasts such as sarson ka saag, makki ki roti and rau-di-kheer are prepared on this day. People dress up in new traditional clothes and gather around the bonfire in the evening. As the bonfire is lit, people take three rounds around it and pray for plentiful crops and prosperity. Alongside, they put in puffed rice, til, rewari, popcorn and peanuts in the bonfire. After the prayer, prasad is distributed amongst everyone. Following the ceremony, people perform the traditional Punjabi folk dances – Bhangra and Gidda on the foot-tapping dhol beats.
How to celebrate Lohri with your children?
Tell your children about the significance of celebrating Lohri. Also, tell them about the sacred bonfire.
- Involve your children in cleaning the house & decorating it with flowers and lights.
- Together with your children, purchase eatables such as gajak, rewari, peanuts, popcorns, puffed rice, etc.
- Prepare special delicacies such as Sarson da Saag, makki ki roti, kurmure laddu, pinnis, etc.
- Teach the famous ‘Dulla Bhatti’ song to your children.
- Make arrangements for a bonfire in the front/backyard or the terrace of your home, but make sure that the children do not get close to the bonfire.
- To keep up the celebration mood in full swing, invite your relatives and friends to your place to celebrate the festival of Lohri together.
- Ask your children to wish their relatives, friends, and neighbours ‘Happy Lohri’.
Since the festival of Lohri is round the corner, use the tips given above to celebrate this joyous harvest festival with your family and friends.
Wish you all a very Happy Lohri!!
