Lohri is a popular winter Dogra and Punjabi folk festival
celebrated in Punjab,. Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh The festival celebrates
waiving goodbye to the winter season and welcome the longer days of summer it
is mainly celebrated by the Sikhs and Hindus of the Punjab region. It is
celebrated on the 13th of January every year. Lohri is also known as
Lai Loee. It is commemorates with a bonfire. Traditionally about a week or two
before the local teenage boys and girls start collecting the logs and twigs for
Lohri bonfire, On the night of Lohri fire, people wear new clothes and gather
around the bonfire to light it. People pray in front of the bonfire and put
til, moongfali, and Chura as all these eatables are considered Lohri Prasad.
Men and women participating bhangra Children go door to door and receive and
sing folk songs. In return, they receive offerings with the blessing of the
elders. The importance of Lohri marks the end of the sowing season of winter
crops and makes way for a good harvest season. The Punjabi and Hindu
communities pray to the Sun god (Surya devta) and Fire God (agni) for
agricultural prosperity and abundant harvesting of the crops sown before the
winter season. The celebration of the festival is enhanced by narrating the
legendary tale of Dulla Bhatti, who is also referred to as the Robin Hood of
Punjab ,was a real hero of the local people who helped some unmarried girls.
Lohrdi stands as a symbol of communal harmony in India´s . Lohri, the festival
of happiness and celebration, symbolises the richness and diversity of India.
With variation in celebrations, each state adds uniqueness to the celebration.
To add more colour to the festival, school students are encouraged to involve
themselves in celebrations not only in traditional ways but also using social
media posts. Also, the families share the warmth of Christmas with friends and
family across the world using video calls. With this advancement, Lohri
successfully continues to connect generations and welcomes the changes as well.
