The festival is marked with the arrival of longer days and celebrating the end of the winter solstice
Women dress up in patiala suit and perform 'Gidda' at a Lohri celebration. Photo Courtesy: AFP
With the rollout of the New year, comes a deluge of harvest festivals across India. One of the most popular among them is the Punjabi folk festival of Lohri. Mumbai-based Daljit Singh Bal is gearing up for celebrations that are marked with traditional delicacies, folk songs, and togetherness. He shares that, “Lohri is meant to celebrate the joys that grace our lives like the birth of a child or a marriage ceremony.”
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Daljit is a member of the Maharashtra Sikh Association which provides welfare and aid to Sikhs in the entire state. A Mankhurd-based resident, he shares, “On the eve of Lohri, our friends and family gather in an open space near our house in traditional outfits. We stack up wood to start a bonfire and do ‘parikrama’ (circle around it) in groups. Food items like popcorn, til, revdi, gachak, and jaggery are thrown into the bonfire to symbolise gratitude to the almighty and seek his blessings for the upcoming year.”
Lohri as a festival doesn’t have religious connotations as it is a seasonal festival. Hence, it is celebrated by people of all faiths primarily across India. People celebrate Lohri 2024 for multiple reasons. The festival is a welcome to the arrival of longer days and the end of the winter solstice. According to the Gregorian calendar, Lohri usually falls on January 13. Also, with the retreat of the winter season comes the harvest of Rabi crops. The term ‘Lohri’ is derived from ‘Loh’ which is the main component of utensils used for cooking Rabi crops.
The legend of Dullah Bhatti
It dates to the Mughal era in the 16th century when Akbar ruled as the emperor of the kingdom. It is said Dullah Bhatti was a highway robber who would steal wealth from the rich and give it away to the poor. A notorious fellow, he was known as a messiah for the unfortunate ones. Not only this, but he also rescued Hindu girls from being traded into slavery. Eventually, he gained the respect of the masses and became a famous figure in Punjab. Many songs from Lohri give tribute to the legend of Dullah Bhatti.
Ravi Gossain, a Mumbai-based actor at Sony SAB shares, “Lohri 2024 is a festival that brings back many fond memories. These days outside of shooting, I usually have a small celebration in my society. I really miss Delhi and Punjab around this time! As kids, we used to run around gathering kindling for the fire and picking up pieces of wood, trying to make sure every bonfire was bigger than the next. I also remember learning to make Gajak with my Nani! It’s one of my favorite things to look back on. My grandparents used to be a big part of our Lohri celebrations. They would quietly pass along Rs 5–10 notes to us and we always saved those!”
Ojaswini Badhwar, who is interning with a news channel is excited to celebrate the festival in a new setting. “Lohri 2024 is a symbol of new beginnings and always brings hope into everyone's life. Staying in Mumbai I have had a lot of opportunities to celebrate this festival with friends from Punjab. This time, I will be celebrating it with my aunts in Delhi which is like Punjab! I am looking forward to singing boliyan like ‘Vaari Vergi’, ‘Dullah Bhatti’ and performing ritualistic dances like Bhangra and Gidda to dhol beats.”
Twinkle Arora who plays the role of Nehmat in ‘Udaariyaan’ shared, “The festival of Lohri has been an unmissed tradition in my family. My family would look forward to Lohri because it marks the end of winter and signals the onset of spring. My friends and I would get together and dance around the bonfire and eat fried snacks. It was so much fun to catch up with everyone. I have kept the tradition going even on the sets and here in Chandigarh, it is celebrated with immense celebration.”
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