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By Shruti Chauhan
NHSF Learning Team
13th January 2010 (13th Paush in the Hindu calendar)
Lohri is a two day harvest festival, celebrated mainly by people in North India, predominantly Punjab and Haryana. With the suns entry into the northern hemisphere or Makar Rashi (Capricorn star sign), Lohri marks the end of the winter and the start of spring. This transition by the sun is also celebrated as Makar Sankranti (see Makar Sankranti article) by many Hindus.
Being a harvest festival, Lohri prompts gratefulness towards God for his provision and his creation, thereby celebrating fertility and the joy of life. For farmers whose lives rest on a fruitful harvest, Lohri becomes not merely a festival, but a celebration of life.
Festivities
After harvest, farmers are able to rest, relax and celebrate, which are plentiful.
- Children go from door to door singing songs and collecting Lohri, in the form of sweets, money etc.
- The bonfire is the focal point of Lohri. People gather around them to meet their family and friends, to sing folk songs and to dance .By circling the bonfire and by throwing puffed rice, popcorn, sesame seeds and Lohri into the fire, people pay homage to Agni, the fire god, to bless the land with abundance and prosperity and to bless themselves with sons.
- People exchange gifts and share prashad (offerings to God). The prashad comprises of 5 main items: til (sesame seeds), gajak (sesame snap-like sweet), gur (jaggery), moonghphali (peanuts) and phuliya (popcorn).
- The traditional meal served on this day is makki-ki-roti (multi-millet hand-rolled bread) and sarson-ka-saag (cooked mustard herbs).
- Traditional folk dancing, gidda, and bhangra are accompanied by the dhol to mark the celebrations.
- In homes where there is a new-born son or a newlywed man, Lohri assumes greater significance. Sweets made of molasses and sesame seed are sent to relatives and friends.
- The day after Lohri is known as Maghi, signifying the beginning of the month of Magh. On this day, fairs are held; people go for a holy dip and give away to charity. The traditional dish of the day is kheer cooked in sugar cane juice.
The Legend of Dulha Bhatti
Dulha Bhatti, a Punjabi version of Robinhood, is the heroic icon that is associated with Lohri; he robbed the rich to help the poor.
The story of Dulla Bhatti tells the tale of a man who rescued an innocent girl from her cruel abductors and adopted her. Finally he arranged for her marriage, as if she were his own daughter to restore her prestige. He lit a scared fire/bonfire and as there was no priest to chant holy mantras, he broke into spontaneous song.
Today, especially at Lohri, traditional folk songs are sung in honor of Dulha Bhattis chivalrous deeds.
Lohri FACTFILE
| Date: | 13th January 2010 (13th Paush in the Hindu calendar) |
| Popular in: | North India (predominantly Punjab and Haryana) |
| Origins: | Harvest, which marks the end of winter and start of spring (The tale of Dulha Bhatti). |
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