How is Lohri Festival celebrated?

Lohri Festival

Like most other festivals in India, Lohri is additionally associated with the agricultural activities of the farmers. It marks the harvesting season in Punjab and therefore the end of the winter season. Lohri usually falls on the Judgment Day of the month of Paush, each day referred to as Makar Sankranti in most parts of the country. consistent with English calendar, Lohri falls on 13th January per annum .

• Preparation to celebrate Lohri begins way before the particular festival day. throughout the winter days, village women and youngsters collect dry twigs and branches to form an enormous bonfire on the day of Lohri-the bigger the higher .
• On the day of the festival, with the setting of the sun, the bonfire is lit with people singing and dancing to the tune of Lohri songs.
• The munching of seasonal goodies like popcorn, reori, peanuts and sugar cane forms an integral a part of the celebration. Fistfuls of those goodies also find their way into the hearth , as an offering to the Sun God, the giver of all life.
• Interestingly, subsequent day of Lohri is understood as Maghi, each day that signifies the start of the month of Magh.
• According to common belief, this is often an auspicious day to require holy dip and provides away charity. Kheer is ready in sugar cane juice to mark the day.

The First Lohri

Lohri, the bonfire harvest festival of Punjab celebrated within the month of Magh, is symbolic of latest beginnings. the primary time Lohris are especially celebrated with pomp and grandeur. Friends and relatives gather round the fire and perform Gidda and Bhangra to the beat of Dhol, the drums of Punjab.

The First Lohri of a Bride

• The celebration takes place within the in-law’s house with a grand feast for family and friends.
• The bride dresses in traditional attire with solah sringar, 16 things that a bride generally wears.
• The new bride and groom sit during a central place together as people approach them with wishes and gifts.
• The parents-in-law present the bride with new clothes and jewellery.

The First Lohri of a New-born

• The first Lohri of a new-born is of immense significance where the family and friends participate to bless the kid with a prosperous and a healthy future.
• Many conduct an elaborate get-together at the paternal home, where invitation cards are sent beforehand .
• Family and friends bring along gifts for the kid also because the new mother.
• The maternal and paternal grandparents shower the kid with gifts.

Lohri Rituals

• Lohri is primarily the harvest festival of the Punjabis.
• This festival denotes the harvesting of the Rabi crops and hence all the farmers get together so as to thank god for giving them such an exquisite harvest.
• The rituals associated with Lohri symbolize the attachment of the people with Mother Nature. a couple of days before the festival, youngsters get together in groups and go round their localities singing folk songs.
• Doing this they also collect firewood and money for the bonfire that's scheduled on the night of Lohri. On the big day , offerings of phulley (popcorn), moongphali (peanuts) and rewri (a sweet delicacy made out of jaggery and sesame seed) are offered to the hearth
• The men and ladies go around the fire and bow before it in reverence. Lohri holds special importance when there's a special day within the family like marriage or childbirth.

Lohri Traditions

• Lohri is primarily the harvest festival of the Punjabis. This festival denotes the harvesting of the Rabi crops and hence all the farmers get together so as to thank god for giving them such an exquisite harvest.
• The rituals associated with Lohri symbolize the attachment of the people with Mother Nature.
• A few days before the festival, youngsters get together in groups and go round their localities singing folk songs.
• Doing this they also collect firewood and money for the bonfire that's scheduled on the night of Lohri. On the big day , offerings of phulley (popcorn), moongphali (peanuts) and rewri (a sweet delicacy made out of jaggery and sesame seed) are offered to the hearth .
• The men and ladies go around the fire and bow before it in reverence. Lohri holds special importance when there's a special day within the family like marriage or childbirth.

Lohri Legends

• Like all Indian festivals, Lohri also has some legends and lore attached thereto .
• One of the various interesting legends has it that during a place that lies between Gujaranwala and Sialkot, there was a thick forest referred to as Rakh.
• The forest was the house of Dulla Bhatti, a dacoit who was considered because the Robin Hood of Punjab.
• This brave and generous man was always helpful to the needy.
• During the reign of Mughal Emperor Jahangir, a jealous Hindu spread a rumour that his niece was very beautiful and would do credit to the Muslim harem.
• On hearing this, the Mughal officers wanted to hold her off forcibly. The girl’s father was extremely worried and sought the protection of Dulla Bhatti.
• Dulla directly got her married to a young Hindu boy at an easy ceremony within the forest. He lit the sacred fire keep with the Hindu custom.
• Since there was no priest to chant the holy mantras, he broke into a hilarious song composed extempore to feature cheer to the occasion. This song is sung even today on the occasion.

Lohri Celebrations

The best way of celebrations during this chilly whether might be to take a seat around a bonfire and luxuriate in . Well, Lohri Celebrations would be the simplest festival to celebrate and spread the heat of affection and happiness among all of your near and dear ones during this chilly weather. Lohri is majorly celebrated in Punjab and north Indian states on 13th January and is taken into account to be the harvesting festival of Punjab.

• Lohri isn't just a festival for people of Punjab but it's a logo of life. Several hopes of farmers are related to this festival of Lohri because the fields promise a golden yield to the farmers.
• Newly wed couples and every one those couples who have a neonate celebrate Lohri but nowadays it's seen that the majority of the people celebrate this festival of Lohri as an event of get together, to spend a while with their near and dear ones and luxuriate in the celebrations.
• Children start collecting firewoods and wooden twigs one week before the festival that are used for burning Lohri .
• On the Lohri day all the firewoods are arranged during a circular manner in such how that it makes an enormous bonfire.
• Children visit each and each house of their locality inviting all he people for the Lohri celebrations and posing for their contributions. While visiting every house children sing a Lohri song, making everyone feel that the festival of Lohri is round the corner.
• The traditional food cooked on the Lohri day is sarson ka saag and makki ki roti and rau di kheer is served as a dessert.
• People dress themselves in new clothes and within the night they gather round the bonfire to light it. People pray ahead of the burning bonfire and put til (gingelly), moongphali (peanuts), popcorns and chirwa (beaten rice) in it, as of these eatables are considered because the Lohri prasad.
• People greet one another wishing a really happy Lohri and spread the sensation of affection and happiness all around.
• Traditional songs and famous dances, bhangra and gidda increase the celebrations to Lohri festival. When the bonfire is lit people start dancing and singing traditional lohri songs to make an ideal ambience of Lohri.