Lohri
What is Lohri, and when is it celebrated?
What historical figure is associated with Lohri folklore?
What are some rituals and activities during Lohri?
What special customs are observed during the first Lohri after a marriage or the birth of a child?
Each year on January 13, many communities in India celebrate Lohri (pronounced LOH-dee; also called Loi), the first festival of the Gregorian calendar year. Lohri is a harvest festival celebrated primarily in Punjab, northern India. It is also observed with fervor in the national capital of New Delhi and other northern Indian states such as Himachal Pradesh and Haryana.
History and origin
Lohri is traditionally observed on the last day of the Hindu calendar month of Pausha, which usually occurs in December and January on the Gregorian calendar. The holiday celebrates the incoming month of Magha, which typically falls between January and February. Magha is considered important because it marks when the Sun starts to transition into the zodiac sign of makara (corresponding to Capricorn) according to sidereal time, which is based on the positions of stars. Simply put, Lohri is a celebration of the end of the winter season and the beginning of the longer days of spring; it is observed with a ceremonial bonfire at sunset.
The exact origin of the festival is unclear, but according to historical records, Lohri was celebrated with much pomp in the Punjab region during the reign of the Sikh maharaja Ranjit Singh in the early 19th century. The king also handed rewards and titles on this day. Some scholars note that the festival has some agrarian origins, reflecting Punjab’s historically agriculture-based society. It is celebrated as a harvest festival that marks the completion of the winter sowing season. Some rabi crops (winter crops), including sugarcane and wheat, are harvested during this period.
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Folklore surrounding the festival
One of the most popular accounts is the Punjabi folklore of Dulla Bhatti (full name Rai Abdullah Khan Bhatti), who is believed to have lived in the 16th century during the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar. Dulla Bhatti belonged to a family of local chiefs who rebelled against the Mughal authority by opposing land revenues and taxes. It is believed that he looted Mughal treasures and distributed them among the impoverished. As such, he is often called the Punjabi Robin Hood and became a legendary figure after he rescued two poor girls, Sundri and Mundri, who were being taken into servitude in the women’s quarters of the Mughal court. He provided them with protection and later arranged their marriages. According to popular legend, over time this day came to be celebrated as Lohri.
The legend of Dulla Bhatti also took the form of a song that is often played during Lohri ceremonies. The first part of the song goes:
Sunder Mundriye ho!
Tera kon vichara ho!
Dulla Bhatti vala ho!
Dulle di dhee vyayae ho!
(“O, Sundri and Mundri
Who will think of you?
Dulla Bhatti will
Dulla got the daughters married.”)
Rituals and festivities
A song titled “Lodi” from the Bollywood superhit movie Veer-Zaara (2004) captures the warmth and togetherness of Lohri celebrations.
The observance of Lohri in villages and cities alike revolves around a ceremonial bonfire after sunset. The community collectively contributes firewood and dried cow-dung cakes as fuel for the fire. As the fire crackles, groups of children go around the neighborhood singing Lohri songs. It is customary in some places for householders to give the singing children treats or money. The community then rejoins at the bonfire, circling it in a parikrama (circumambulation) and casting food items such as popcorn, rewri (a sweet made with sesame seeds and jaggery), and peanuts (groundnuts) into the flames as an act of gratitude toward the gods they worship. The festivities include the playing of dhols (double-headed drums) and performances of the folk dances bhangra and giddha. A regional specialty in Punjab during Lohri is the practice of eating fresh roasted corn—the first produce of the season. Besides the group customs, Lohri also includes some family rituals. Both the first Lohri after a couple marries and the first Lohri after a baby is born are considered sacred. Parents-in-law and other family members give gifts to newlyweds, and family friends and relatives give gifts to newborns.
