India is a culture and tradition-rich country and can also be called the land of festivals. Throughout the year, numerous auspicious days are observed in the country. Out of the many festivals that are celebrated in India, the Lohri festival is the first. It is a very vibrant festival that arrives on the 13th of January every year. Lohri is celebrated by Sikhs and Hindus in North India but mainly by the farming communities. They thank the Sun God, Surya Dev for a good harvest and pray for a lush crop in the coming year. The festival marks the beginning of a new financial year for the farmers. It is a festival that stands as a symbol of unity, faith, and togetherness. It is a reminder of the fact that light always prevails in darkness. As you travel down South, it takes the form of Pongal in the state of Tamil Nadu.
There is a lot more to know about the Lohri festival. Let’s find out.
The term Lohri comes from the words Til and Rohri which mean sesame and jaggery respectively and are eaten during the Lohri celebration. They were combined to make the word Tilohri which ultimately became Lohri, Lohri is a very important festival in India and it has both cultural astrological, and astronomical significance for people.
credit: rangeecha
The occurrence of the Lohri festival marks an important celestial development. It is the time when the Sun transits into the zodiac of Capricorn or Makar. This brings noticeable and pleasant changes in the weather as the harshness of the winter lessens, the days get longer and the nights begin to get shorter. It marks the return of sunlight to the northern hemisphere of the earth as the winter solstice has passed and warmer days are about to arrive.
It also marks the start of the harvest season in North Indian states like Punjab and Haryana. The Rabi crops that were sown in winter ripen by this time of the year and are ready to be harvested. This festival is celebrated as a means of expressing gratitude to the Sun God, Surya Dev thanking him for a bountiful harvest and urging him to bestow warmth and light on earth so that more good crops can be grown and harvested.
One legend, which is the most famous, associated with Lohri is the story of Dulla Bhatti. He was a Robinhood-like figure in the Punjab region during the Mughal era. He was hailed as a local messiah because he helped the poor with food and money.
In one instance, he rescued a few girls from being sold into slavery. 2 of them were named Sundri and Mundri. He adopted them and later married them to suitable grooms on the day of Lohri. That is how this legend became part of Lohri celebrations. Popular folk songs are sung at the Lohri festival in memory of this incident.
Lohri celebrations include people lighting a bonfire at night and gathering around it. They sing songs and dance to the beats of dhol. Offerings of popcorn, peanuts, and rewari are given to the holy fire. This symbolizes the burning of all things old and starting the year with a new zest.
People dress up well by wearing their best attire and celebrate this festival with a lot of enthusiasm. Punjabi folk dances like Bhangra and Gidda are performed by people around the fire as well. This brings a very joyous spin to the celebrations.
The tradition also involves eating Makki ki Roti and Sarson ka Saag which is a part of the grand feast that includes a lot of other delicious food items as well. While Makki ki Roti is prepared from corn flour, Sarson ka Saag is made with mustard leaves.
It is customary for children to go around from door to door in the neighborhood and sing folk songs. They receive gifts in the form of money and prasad of rewari, gajak, and popcorn from elders in exchange for this.
Lohri festival is one the most significant festivals in India and is always celebrated with a lot of fervor. This festival not only has a cultural significance but has an astrological significance too. It marks the start of the harvest period in the agricultural states of North India and also the entrance of the Sun in the Makar rashi or the Capricorn zodiac.
Lighting a bonfire after sunset and dancing around it is one of the many traditions of Lohri celebrations.
It is celebrated in Southern regions of India also but by different names like Pongal in Tamil Nadu.
While the festival might be known by different names in different parts of the country and the ways of celebrating it might vary, it symbolizes hope and happiness in all cultures that consider it auspicious.
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