Lohri,essentiallytheharvestfestivalofthelandofPunjabisnowcelebratedwithmuchgustoandfanfarethroughoutIndia.Here’showyoucancelebrateLohri.LohriisessentiallyaNorthIndianfestivalencompassingHimachalPradeshandHaryana;itistheprimaryharvestfestivalofthelandofPunjab.Itisaveryexcitingfestivalthatiscelebratedwithutmostcheerfulnessandgrandeur.Itbasicallymarkstheendofthecoldwintersthatarecolourlessanddepressingandwelcomestheseasonoffruitfulness,springandtheNewYear.ThenightofLohriisbelievedtothelongestnightoftheyear,postwhichthedaysbegintoturnlongerandthenightsbecomeshorter.Asthesunmovestowardsthenorth,itiscalledUttarayanwhichtakesplaceafteraprolongedautumnorwinterwhichwastheDakshinayan.AsthesunmakesitstransitionfromtheTropicofCapricorntotheTropicofCancer,peoplecelebrateLohriasafestivaloftheSunGodandFire.InthisarticleSignificanceofLohri?HowisLohricelebrated?LohriCelebrationofaNewBrideLohriCelebrationofaNewbornSignificanceofLohri?TherearemanybeliefsastotheoriginsofLohri.Accordingtosomebelievers,it’sactuallytracesbacktothenameofthewifeofSantKabir,Loi.LohriwasalsothesisterofHolika,whoperishedinthefirewhiletryingtokillPrahladwhilehersisterLohrisurvivedduetoherpiety.OthersareoftheopinionthatLohrigotitsnamefromLoh,ortheappliancewhichisusedforturningandpressingChapattisorIndianbreads.ThenagainthereareotherswhothinkthatLohriisbasicallyashortformofTilohri,whereTilorsesameseedsandRorhi,thecomponentsoffooditemsarecombinedtoformthisword.HowisLohricelebrated?Lohriisprimarilyacommunityfestivalcelebratedwithfamily,friendsandrelatives.Astrongcommunitybondisgeneratedaspeoplecometogether,havefunandexchangesweets.Sincethisisaharvestfestivalitisprimarilymeanttobeobservedbythefarmers,butsincePunjabisanagriculturalland,almosteveryonebecomesaparticipantinthefestival.ThemainattractionofLohriisthehugebonfirewhichislitandpeoplegatherandsinganddancearoundit.Anumberofritualsareperformedbypeoplelikethrowingofsesameseeds,Gurorjaggery,sugarcanesticks,Rewaris,popcornsandseveralotheritemsintothefireastheydancearoundit.PeopledancetothebeatsofthedrumorDholandthedanceisBhangra.Itisconsideredtobethemostexuberantandexcitingdancingstyleandpeoplewearthemostvibrantcolourstomarktheoccasion.CelebratingFirstLohriFirstLohriofanewlyweddedwomanandanewlybornbabyisveryspecial.LetushavealookathowisfirstLohricelebrated.LohriCelebrationofaNewBrideLohribecomesveryspecialifitisafirstLohriofanewbride.Sheneedstowearnewandvibrantlycoloureddress,dressupinherbestfortheoccasionwearinglotsofbanglesanddecorateherpalmswithMehndi(Hena).Thehusbandalsowearsnewdressandwearsanelaborateturban.Thenewbrideisgiftedwithnewclothesandjewelleryfortheoccasionbyherin-lawsandotherfriendsandrelatives.LohriCelebrationofaNewbornLohriisalsoveryimportantforanewlybornbaby.Themotherisdressedupinnewandgorgeousclothesandheavyjewellery,andMehndiisappliedonherhandsinanelaboratepattern.Sheisaskedtositwiththenewbornbabyinherarmsandfamily,relativesandfriendsgiftherwithfruits,sweets,clothes,jewelleryandmoney.ThesedaysLohrihasgainedimmensepopularityandpeoplenotonlyinPunjab,butthewholeofIndia,eveninsouthIndiagettogethertocelebratethefestival.TraditionallyinMaharashtraitisknownasMakarSankrantiandinTamilNaduitiscelebratedasPongal.ButthewayinwhichthisfestivaliscelebratedindifferentpartsofIndiaisdifferent.Lohriisnowmostlyaboutlightingthebonfireinthebitingcoldanddancingandmakingmerryaroundit.SinceLohriismarkedasafestivalthatcelebratesNewYear,harvestandfertility,thesedayswefindpeoplecelebratingtheoccasionbyplantingtreesandsaplings.Thisisagreatactivityastheytrytoconsciouslycompensateforthetreesthatarebeingcutallover.
Lohri, essentially the harvest festival of the land of Punjab is now celebrated with much gusto and fanfare throughout India. Here’s how you can celebrate Lohri. Lohri is essentially a North Indian festival encompassing Himachal Pradesh and Haryana; it is the primary harvest festival of the land of Punjab. It is a very exciting festival that is celebrated with utmost cheerfulness and grandeur. It basically marks the end of the cold winters that are colourless and depressing and welcomes the season of fruitfulness, spring and the New Year.
The night of Lohri is believed to the longest night of the year, post which the days begin to turn longer and the nights become shorter. As the sun moves towards the north, it is called Uttarayan which takes place after a prolonged autumn or winter which was the Dakshinayan. As the sun makes its transition from the Tropic of Capricorn to the Tropic of Cancer, people celebrate Lohri as a festival of the Sun God and Fire.
Significance of Lohri?
There are many beliefs as to the origins of Lohri. According to some believers, it’s actually traces back to the name of the wife of Sant Kabir, Loi. Lohri was also the sister of Holika, who perished in the fire while trying to kill Prahlad while her sister Lohri survived due to her piety. Others are of the opinion that Lohri got its name from Loh, or the appliance which is used for turning and pressing Chapattis or Indian breads. Then again there are others who think that Lohri is basically a short form of Tilohri, where Til or sesame seeds and Rorhi, the components of food items are combined to form this word.
How is Lohri celebrated?
Lohri is primarily a community festival celebrated with family, friends and relatives. A strong community bond is generated as people come together, have fun and exchange sweets. Since this is a harvest festival it is primarily meant to be observed by the farmers, but since Punjab is an agricultural land, almost everyone becomes a participant in the festival.
The main attraction of Lohri is the huge bonfire which is lit and people gather and sing and dance around it. A number of rituals are performed by people like throwing of sesame seeds, Gur or jaggery, sugarcane sticks, Rewaris, popcorns and several other items into the fire as they dance around it.
People dance to the beats of the drum or Dhol and the dance is Bhangra. It is considered to be the most exuberant and exciting dancing style and people wear the most vibrant colours to mark the occasion.
Celebrating First Lohri
First Lohri of a newly wedded woman and a newly born baby is very special. Let us have a look at how is first Lohri celebrated.
Lohri Celebration of a New Bride
Lohri becomes very special if it is a first Lohri of a new bride. She needs to wear new and vibrantly coloured dress, dress up in her best for the occasion wearing lots of bangles and decorate her palms with Mehndi (Hena). The husband also wears new dress and wears an elaborate turban. The new bride is gifted with new clothes and jewellery for the occasion by her in-laws and other friends and relatives.
Lohri Celebration of a Newborn
Lohri is also very important for a newly born baby. The mother is dressed up in new and gorgeous clothes and heavy jewellery, and Mehndi is applied on her hands in an elaborate pattern. She is asked to sit with the new born baby in her arms and family, relatives and friends gift her with fruits, sweets, clothes, jewellery and money.
These days Lohri has gained immense popularity and people not only in Punjab, but the whole of India, even in south India get together to celebrate the festival. Traditionally in Maharashtra it is known as Makar Sankranti and in Tamil Nadu it is celebrated as Pongal. But the way in which this festival is celebrated in different parts of India is different.
Lohri is now mostly about lighting the bonfire in the biting cold and dancing and making merry around it. Since Lohri is marked as a festival that celebrates New Year, harvest and fertility, these days we find people celebrating the occasion by planting trees and saplings. This is a great activity as they try to consciously compensate for the trees that are being cut all over.
