''Lohri'' is a popular winter Punjabi folk festival celebrated primarily in

Northern India North India is a loosely defined region consisting of the northern part of India. The dominant geographical features of North India are the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Himalayas, which demarcate the region from the Tibetan Plateau and Central ...

. The significance and legends about the Lohri festival are many and these link the festival to the

Punjab region Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising a ...

. It is believed by many that the festival marks the passing of the

winter solstice The winter solstice, also called the hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun. This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern and Southern). For that hemisphere, the winter ...

. Lohri marks the end of winter, and is a traditional welcome of longer days and the sun's journey to the northern hemisphere by people in the northern region of the Indian subcontinent. It is observed the night before

Maghi Maghi is the regional name of the Hindu festival of Makar Sankranti celebrated in Punjab, Haryana Jammu division and Himachal Pradesh.In Himachal, the festival is also known as ''Maghi Saaji'' or ''Magha Ra Saza''. In Bihar and Nepal it is also ...

, also known as

Makar Sankranti Makar(a) Sankranti (), also referred to as Uttarayana, Maghi, or simply Sankranti, is a Hindu observance and a festival. Usually falling on the date of January 14 annually, this occasion marks the transition of the Sun from the zodiac of Sag ...

, and according to the solar part of the lunisolar

Vikrami calendar Vikram Samvat (IAST: ''Vikrama Samvat''; abbreviated VS) or Bikram Sambat B.S. and also known as the Vikrami calendar, is a Hindu calendar historically used in the Indian subcontinent. Vikram Samvat is generally 57 years ahead of Gregorian Calend ...

and typically falls about the same date every year (13 January). Lohri is an official holiday in

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi Language, Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also Romanization, romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the I ...

, the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir and

Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several pea ...

. The festival is celebrated in

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...

and

Haryana Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ...

but is not a gazetted holiday. In all these areas, the festival is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Muslims. In

Punjab, Pakistan Punjab (; , ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in central-eastern region of the country, Punjab is the second-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the largest province by population. It shares land borders with the ...

it is not observed at official level, however Hindus and Sikhs and some Muslims observe the festival in rural Punjab and in the cities Faisalabad and Lahore. Muhammad Tariq, former director of

Faisalabad Arts Council Nusrat Fathe Ali Khan Arts Council Faisalabad Arts Council (FAC) is an arts center in Faisalabad, Pakistan. It was established in 1982 by the Government of Punjab, now working under the 'Punjab Arts Council'. It was designed by Nayyar Ali Dada ...

, believes it is important to keep the festival alive as Lohri is celebrated in Pakistan Punjab and in Indian Punjab.

Date

Lohri is linked to the

, and is celebrated the day before the festival of

celebrated in the rest of

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

. Lohri falls in the month of Paush and is set by the solar part of the lunisolar

Punjabi calendar The Punjabi calendar (Punjabi: , ) is a luni-solar calendar used by the Punjabi people in Punjab and around the world, but varies by religions. Historically, the Punjabi Sikhs and Punjabi Hindus have used the Nanakshahi calendar and ancient Bikra ...

and in most years it falls around 13 January of the

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years d ...

History & origins

Historical references to Lohri are mentioned by European visitors to the Lahore darbar of Maharaja Ranjit Singh such as Wade who visited the Maharaja in 1832. Further reference is made by Captain Mackeson of Maharaja Ranjit Singh distributing suits of clothes and large sums of money as rewards on Lohri day in 1836. The celebration of Lohri with the making of a huge bonfire at night is also noted in the royal court in 1844. The accounts of Lohri celebration in royal circles do not discuss the origins of the festival. However, there is much folklore about Lohri. Lohri is the celebration of the arrival of longer days after the

. According to folklore, in ancient times Lohri was celebrated at the end of the traditional month when

occurs. It celebrates the days getting longer as the sun proceeds on its northward journey. The day after Lohri is celebrated as

Sangrand. Lohri is an ancient mid winter festival originating in regions near the Himalayan mountains where winter is colder than the rest of the subcontinent. Hindus and Sikhs traditionally lit bonfires in their yards after the weeks of the ''Rabi'' season cropping work, socialized around the fire, sang and danced together as they marked the end of winter and the onset of longer days. Punjabi woman smile

However, instead of celebrating Lohri on the eve of when

actually occurs, Punjabis celebrate it on the last day of the month during which

takes place. Lohri commemorates the passing of the

Significance

The ancient significance of the festival is it being a winter crop season celebration and is linked to the Punjab region. A popular folklore links Lohri to the tale of Dulla Bhatti . The central theme of many Lohri songs is the legend of Dulla Bhatti whose father was a zamidar who lived in Punjab during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar. He was regarded as a hero in Punjab, for rescuing Punjabi girls from being forcibly taken to be sold in slave market of the Middle East. Amongst those he saved were two girls Sundri & Mundri, who gradually became a theme of

's folklore. As a part of Lohri celebrations, children go around homes singing the traditional folk songs of Lohri with "Dulla Bhatti" name included. One person sings, while others end each line with a loud "Ho!" sung in unison. After the song ends, the adult of the home is expected to give snacks and money to the singing troupe of youngsters. Lohri also marks the beginning of the harvest season and sunny days.

Celebrations

The festival is celebrated by lighting bonfires, eating festive food, dancing and collecting gifts. In houses that have recently had a marriage or childbirth, Lohri celebrations will reach a higher pitch of excitement. Most North Indians usually have private Lohri celebrations, in their houses. Lohri rituals are performed, with the accompaniment of special Lohri songs. Singing and dancing form an intrinsic part of the celebrations. People wear their brightest clothes and come to dance the bhangra and gidda to the beat of the

dhol Dhol (IPA: ) can refer to any one of a number of similar types of double-headed drum widely used, with regional variations, throughout the Indian subcontinent. Its range of distribution in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan primarily includes nort ...

. Punjabi songs are sung, and everybody rejoices. Sarson da saag and makki di roti is usually served as the main course at a Lohri dinner. Lohri is a great occasion that holds great importance for farmers. However, people residing in urban areas also celebrate Lohri, as this festival provides the opportunity to interact with family and friends.

Bonfire and festive foods

Lohri is celebrated with a bonfire. The lighting of bonfire during this winter festival is an ancient tradition. Ancient people lit the bonfire to reignite the return of longer days. This is a very ancient tradition. (2) Raw sugar jaggery gud Punjab India

In Punjab the harvest festival Lohri is marked by eating sheaves of roasted corn from the new harvest. The January sugarcane harvest is celebrated in the Lohri festival. Sugarcane products such as gurh and gachak are central to Lohri celebrations, as are nuts which are harvested in January. The other important food item of Lohri is radish which can be harvested between October and January. Mustard greens are cultivated mainly in the winter months because the crop is suitable to the agro-climatic conditions.Indian Food Packer, Volume 49 (1995)
/ref> Accordingly, mustard greens are also a winter produce. It is traditional to eat

Gajak Gajak (also ''gachak'') is a dessert or confection originating in north-central India. It is a dry sweet made of sesame seeds (''til'') or peanuts and jaggery. The ''til'' is cooked in the raw sugar syrup and set in thin layers, which can be st ...

Sarson da saag Sarson ka saag (as it is known in Hindi/Haryanvi or Sarson da saag in Punjabi or Sareyan Da Saag in Dogri) is a popular vegetarian dish from the northern region of the Indian subcontinent. It is made from mustard greens (sarson) and spices such ...

with

Makki di roti Makki ki roti is a flat unleavened bread made from corn meal (maize flour), primarily eaten in the Jammu region, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand in North India & Gujarat, Maharashtra in Western India ...

radish The radish (''Raphanus raphanistrum'' subsp. ''sativus'') is an edible root vegetable of the family Brassicaceae that was domesticated in Asia prior to Roman times. Radishes are grown and consumed throughout the world, being mostly eaten raw ...

, ground nuts and

jaggery Jaggery is a traditional non-centrifugal cane sugar consumed in the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Africa. It is a concentrated product of cane juice and often date or palm sap without separation of the molasses and crystals, and ...

. It is also traditional to eat "til rice" which is made by mixing

, sesame seeds and puffed rice. In some places, this dish, more like a snack is named "Tilcholi."

Chajja dance and Hiran dance

Lohri in

Jammu Jammu is the winter capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is the headquarters and the largest city in Jammu district of the union territory. Lying on the banks of the river Tawi, the city of Jammu, with an area of ...

is special because of various additional traditions associated with it like ''Chajja'' making and dancing, ''Hiran Dance'', preparing Lohri garlands. Young children prepare a replica of peacock which is known as ''Chajja.'' They carry this ''Chajja'' and then go from one house to other house celebrating Lohri. In and around Jammu, special ''Hiran Dance'' is performed. Selected houses which have auspicious ceremonies prepare eatables. Children wear special garlands made of groundnuts, dry fruits and candies on Lohri day.

Collecting Lohri items and trick or treating

In various places of the

, about 10 to 15 days before Lohri, groups of young and teenage boys and girls go around the neighbourhood collecting logs for the Lohri bonfire. In some places, they also collect items such as grains and jaggery which are sold and the sale proceeds are divided amongst the group.Sundar mundarye ho by Assa Singh Ghuman Waris Shah Foundation ISBN B1-7856-043-7 In some parts of

, there is a popular "trick or treat" activity which is engaged in by boys to select a group member to smear his face with ash and tie a rope around his waist. The idea is for the selected person to act as a deterrent for people who refrain from giving Lohri items. The boys will sing Lohri songs asking for Lohri items. If not enough is given, the householder will be given an ultimatum to either give more or the rope will be loosened. If not enough is given, then the boy who has his face smeared will try to enter the house and smash clay pots or the clay stove.

Practices

During the day, children go from door to door singing songs and are given sweets and savories, and occasionally, money. Turning them back empty-handed is regarded inauspicious. Where families are welcoming newly-weds and new borns, the requests for treats increases. The collections gathered by the children are known as ''Lohri'' and consist of til, gachchak, crystal sugar, gur (jaggery), moongphali (peanuts) and phuliya or popcorn. Lohri is then distributed at night during the festival. Till, peanuts, popcorn and other food items are also thrown into the fire. For some, throwing food into the fire represents the burning of the old year and start the next year on

The bonfire is lit at sunset in the main village square. People toss sesame seeds, gur, sugar-candy and ''rewaries'' on the bonfire, sit around it, sing and dance till the fire dies out. Some people perform a prayer and go around the fire. This is to show respect to the natural element of fire, a tradition common in

celebrations. It is traditional to offer guests til, gachchak, gur, moongphali (peanuts) and phuliya or popcorn. Milk and water are also poured around the bonfire by

Hindus Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

to thank the Sun God and seeking his continued protection. Among some sections of the

Sindhi Sindhi may refer to: *something from, or related to Sindh, a province of Pakistan * Sindhi people, an ethnic group from the Sindh region * Sindhi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them People with the name * Sarkash Sindhi (1940–2012 ...

community, the festival is traditionally celebrated as Lal Loi. On the day of Lal Loee children bring wood sticks from their grandparents and aunties and light a fire burning the sticks in the night with people enjoying, dancing and playing around the fire. The festival is gaining popularity amongst other Sindhis where Lohri is not a traditional festival.

Lohri and the financial year

Historically, during the 19th century, revenue for winter crops was collected either on Lohri or

Celebration area

Lohri is celebrated to denote the last of the coldest days of winter. The festival is celebrated in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir since Mughal times. The festival is observed as Lal Loi in the

community.

Lohri songs

There are many Lohri songs. For example, the following song which has words to express gratitude to Dulla Bhatti (the 'ho's are in chorus):

Sunder mundriye ho!
Tera kaun vicharaa ho!
Dullah Bhatti walla ho!
Dullhe di dhee vyayae ho!
Ser shakkar payee ho!
Kudi da laal pathaka ho!
Kudi da saalu paata ho!
Salu kaun samete!
Chacha gali dese!
Chache choori kutti! zamidara lutti!
Zamindaar sudhaye!
Bum Bum bhole aaye!
Ek bhola reh gaya!
Sipahee far ke lai gaya!
Sipahee ne mari itt!
Paanvey ro te paanvey pitt!
Sanoo de de Lohri, te teri jeeve jodi!
(Laugh, cry or howl!)

Translation

Beautiful girl
Who will think about you
Dulla of the Bhatti clan will
Dulla's daughter got married
He gave one ser of sugar!
The girl is wearing a red suit!
But her shawl is torn!
Who will stitch her shawl?!
The uncle made choori!
The landlords looted it!
Landlords are beaten up!
Lots of simple-headed boys came!
One simpleton got left behind!
The soldier arrested him!
The soldier hit him with a brick!
(Cry or howl)!
Give us Lohri, long live your pair (to a married couple)!
Whether you cry, or bang your head later!

Another beautiful Lohri song is 'Tode upper Toda, Tode upper Saag' which the children sings at the time when they went to seek Lohri from the neighbours. The folk song is sung in Jammu.

Toda! Tode upar saag. Saag! Saag wich mirch! Mirch! Mirch lgi kodi. Kodi! Deyo sanu lohri. Toda! Tode upar saag. Saag! Saag wich mirch! Mirch! Mirch lgi kodi. Kodi! Deyo sanu lohri.

Similar festivals in other countries

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festivals have been incorporated into other festivals which are celebrated in various regions around the world. The festival of

Yule Yule, actually Yuletide ("Yule time") is a festival observed by the historical Germanic peoples, later undergoing Christianised reformulation resulting in the now better-known Christmastide. The earliest references to Yule are by way of indi ...

is observed during

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celebrations whereby a log is burnt to commemorate the

. The festival of

Hogmanay Hogmanay ( , ) is the Scots word for the last day of the old year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner. It is normally followed by further celebration on the morning of New Year's Day (1 January) or i ...

is celebrated on New Year's Day. The fire festival of Stonehaven in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

is the direct descendant of lighting winter solstice bonfires. Another event is observed every 11 January when the flaming Clavie (a barrel full of staves) is carried round in Burghead and is wedged on the Doorie Hill. When it is burnt out, people take the smouldering embers to bring good luck for the coming year.

Notes

References

{{Punjabi festivals Punjabi festivals January observances Festivals in Punjab, Pakistan Punjab Harvest festivals in India Winter festivals Traditions involving fire